Alone in Uncharted Territory
by Lady Lance Pond
Summary: S1 AU. She was sure she was ready to let go of life with the Doctor, but Amy Pond never realises what she'll miss until it's gone. So when she wakes up alone in a department store far away from New York, she joins an old friend to travel, except he's not the same as she left him. A story of Adventure/Developing bonds/Love. Nine/Rose Amy/Rory Jack/Everybody. SHORT HIATUS
1. Linear

The Story of Amelia Jessia Pond I: Alone in Uncharted Territory

* * *

" _Go to her. Tell her a story."_

* * *

 _Linear_

* * *

Rose's alarm clock blared, waking her from her slumber. Annoyed, she slammed on the snooze before and collapsed back into bed, relaxing for a few minutes. She stared at the ceiling of her pink bedroom in thought. After a moment of contemplation, the blonde rose out of her bed to go get ready for the morning.

After going through her usual morning activities, Rose grabbed her set of keys off the coffee table and bid her mother goodbye. As she hopped down the stairs, she accidentally crashed into a man. Stumbling a little, she managed to steady herself as she looked up to apologise.

"I'm so sorry!" she apologised. The man seemed like he was in his 30's, dressed in a white shirt underneath a grey hoodie and blue jeans. He appeared to have been thrown off by crashing into her.

"Oh no, it's okay!" he quickly said. She smiled slightly at the man's kindness. It was the type of person she hoped her dad was. Not wanting to be late for the bus, Rose quickly waved to the man as she continued running down the stairs.

* * *

Rory watched the blonde girl run off, most likely to work. Sighing, he continued his trek up the flight of steps. Having no idea why the angel had sent him here, he decided to poke around for a little while. Maybe he could find Amy in the same building.

* * *

It had been a long day at work and Rose was ready to go home. Lagging behind two of her chatting co-workers, Rose felt someone pat her on the back. Turning, she saw the lottery money in a clear envelope and sighed.

Great, now she had to travel to the basement before she could get home. Grabbing the bag containing the lottery money, she ran towards the lift.

* * *

Amy groaned as she felt the throbbing in her temple when she opened her eyes. Rubbing her temple, she squinted to examine her surroundings in the dark. She could just make out boxes stacked all around the room in no specific order. Sighing, she pulled herself onto her feet and walked around for a few seconds. Where was she? Why wasn't she at the graveyard?

Her heart froze as soon when she reached her next question. Where was Rory?

"Rory?" she whispered, her voice hoarse from the time displacement. When she didn't receive a response, Amy started to panic. She looked around more frantically. This wasn't right. The angel was supposed to send her to the same time and place to him. Maybe the Doctor was right. Maybe she was separated from Rory forever.

Her eyes watered at the thought of never seeing her husband again. Allowing fatigue to conquer her, Amy leaned onto a pillar, slowly dipping to the ground before finally closing her eyes. Maybe if she slept, she would feel better.

" _Wilson?"_ Amy's eyes flew open when she heard the voice. It was female, most definitely British. She then realised she wasn't in America.

" _Wilson, I've got the lottery money"_ Amy started to get uncomfortable. If she was in the 21st century, maybe she could find the Doctor again. _"Wilson, you there?"_ peering down at the bottom of the closed door where the voice was originating from, Amy could see light streaming through the crack.

" _Look, I can't hang about 'cos they're closing the shop"_ the girl announced. Amy realised she was in a shop and froze. If she was caught in here, she could get arrested. _"Wilson!"_ the girl cried out indignantly.

Amy could hear the girl muttered to herself. Uncomfortable with the prospect of getting caught and arrested, Amy quickly jumped onto her feet but crashed into several boxes, which fell to the ground loudly as a result. The crash echoed around the basement and she growled at her carelessness.

" _Hello?"_ the girl cried out, cautiousness laced in her tone. Amy quickly dived behind some boxes, peering through the gap between the two boxes.

" _Hello, Wilson? It's Rose"_ she introduced herself. She could hear the footsteps nearing her position and steadied her breathing. If she was going to get caught, she was going to make sure they had a hard time achieving it.

" _Hello…W-Wilson?"_ the girl stuttered and Amy felt slightly guilty for scaring her. Light poured into the dark room as the girl known as Rose pushed the door open and walked inside.

The girl was gorgeous. She had straight, shoulder length blonde hair, brown shapely eyebrows and big, brown eyes.

Now knowing her name was Rose, Amy watched as she flipped on a light switch. Light flooded the room and Amy could examine her surroundings in more detail. She was most likely in a stock room and, judging from the clothing on the mannequins, definitely 21st century.

Rose ventured a bit into the room, dangerously close to Amy's hiding spot. Amy promptly quietened her breathing, the feeling of getting caught more potent than before.

Suddenly, the door Rose had entered through slammed behind her. Jumping slightly, the girl turned and ran towards the door, rattling the handle a few times and muttered helplessly under her breath.

Using this as an opportunity, Amy jumped out of her hiding spot and ran towards a door on the other side of the room. During her run, she tripped on her feet and knocked over a pipe that was propped against the wall, which landed with a loud crash.

The Scottish woman cursed her inelegance as she almost smelt the blonde girl turn around. Wasting no time, she dived for the two doors and attempted to push the handle. She froze when she realised it was locked.

"Is that somebody mucking about?" Rose cried, sounding hysterical. Amy winced at frightening the girl but shifted her attention to the jammed door. She tried the handle a few more times, desperately working to open it.

If she got caught and arrested, she would make sure the Doctor knew it was his fault.

"Who the hell are you?!" Amy jumped at the voice and spun around quickly, looking directly at the blonde girl who was currently staring at her with an open mouth. Oh, the Doctor was so going to pay.

"You scared me!" Amy cried out as if it would override Rose's demand. The girl just narrowed her eyes at her.

"I asked you who you are!" she yelled. Amy shifted uncomfortably. She would have to do what every Scottish did best. She was going to have to lie to the blonde girl.

"Well, if you must know I'm…-"Amy never got to finish her lie because at that moment the plastic mannequins behind the girl known as Rose started to move. Amy's jaw dropped as Rose turned to look what she was so shocked about.

Amy spun around quickly and tried to open the door again. No matter how hard she tried, the door wouldn't open. Amy groaned as memories of running away from life sized dolls filled her head.

"Always the plastic" she muttered, annoyed at their predicament.

Rose hesitantly walked away from the slowly advancing mannequin. Moving away from the door, Amy looked over at the girl and saw more mannequins beginning to twitch sluggishly.

Amy picked up the pipe she dropped earlier and pushed Rose behind her. She could tell the girl was clearly a teenager and Amy didn't want her life to be cut short.

Not to mention she was not going to get taken down by a shop window dummy. If she could beat Kate Haler in year 10 hockey, she could most certainly take down random plastic dummies.

"You should be careful, I have sword skills!" Amy threw in feebly. The dummies seemed oblivious to her threat and continued their advance.

Alarmed by the scraping of boxes, Amy spun around to see Rose had stumbled. Helping the girl to her feet, Amy realised they had been led into a corner. They weren't as slow as she had thought.

Checking on Rose one more time, Amy saw the girl had closed her eyes. She quickly spun around and used the pipe to block the hand that was close to hitting her on the head. She quickly pushed the arm into the air and used the dummy's momentary confusion to slam it in the chest, sending it crashing into several more of the plastic mannequins.

"Run!" a voice whispered. Amy jumped, turning to see who spoke and yelped when Rose grabbed her hand and dragged her along as they ran.

The three ran through previously unseen doors and into another corridor. Noticing several more of the plastic dummies starting to move, Amy shifted her attention to their rescuer. He was a man roughly her age, possibly older. His hair was incredibly short, almost bald and the most defining aspect of his appearance was most probably his large ears.

The man dragged them to an elevator and impatiently began prodding the button to summon the elevator. He was hopping on his feet, clearly in a rush.

Amy turned to see more mannequins charging towards them and scowled. They were starting to annoy her now. Raising her pipe, she swung and hit a dummy with all the force she could muster, sending it toppling into more of the dummies.

"Nice swing" Rose complimented, clearly impressed. Amy grinned at the girl

" _Always_ go for the shins, kid"

She was promptly dragged into the elevator by the man. He quickly pressed a button and the elevator doors began to close.

Suddenly, a dummy appeared and use its hand to block the doors. The man leapt forward, tugging on the hand violently several times. Amy could see Rose flinch in shock out of the corner of her eye. The hand finally tore off the hand and the doors closed in its face, beginning its ascent.

"You took his arm off!" Rose cried incredulously, clearly disturbed. The man, who had been examining the arm, looked up at her with a grin.

"Yep, plastic!" he replied as he threw the arm towards Rose, who quickly caught it before staring at it, her face pale. Amy sighed. Now that they were out of immediate danger, she could think about things.

This was not what the angels usually did. They were supposed to send her to New York further back in time. She was still alive during this time; they would not be able to feed off of her time energy this way.

Amy wondered if she was supposed to die here. She shuddered at the morbid thought.

"Very clever," Rose replied sarcastically. "Nice trick!"

The man scoffed and turned his attention back to the slowly moving elevator. Amy found it rather convenient they just happened to bump into an elevator. Then again, this _was_ a shop.

"Who were they then, students?" Amy and the man both raised identical eyebrows as they stared at the younger girl, who squirmed uncomfortably at the attention she was receiving. "Is this a student thing or what?"

"Or what…" Amy muttered under her breath. She highly doubted this man knew. He was probably a new co-worker or something.

"Why would they be students?" the man asked Rose incredulously, looking at her as if she was stupid. Amy narrowed her eyes at the gesture.

"I don't know" Rose shrugged, still catching her breath from the earlier running.

"Well you said it. Why students?" the man said before turning his attention back to the elevator. Amy sighed at the man's ignorance. He looked like he just wanted to get out of the shop.

Amy couldn't blame him; she was in a rush as well. She needed to find a potential clue that would help her find Rory. If that failed, she would have to find a way to contact the Doctor.

"Cos to get that many people dressed up and being silly, they got to be students" Rose finally sputtered after a few seconds of silence.

"That makes sense" he smiled at Rose, seemingly impressed. "Well done!"

"I don't think they're students" Amy added, drawing unwanted attention. "They tried to hurt us"

Rose shrugged. "Well, whoever they are, when Wilson finds them, he's going to call the police"

"Who's Wilson?"

"Chief electrician" Rose answered simply. The lift screeched to a halt.

"Wilson's dead" the man deadpanned, barely sparing Rose a glance as he walked out of the lift. A flash of annoyance flickered through Amy. Whoever this man was, he clearly had no clue what emotions were.

"That's not funny, that's _sick_!" Rose cried as she stormed out of the lift.

"Hold on." The man said, pushing Rose to the side. Amy walked over to stand by the girl.

"I've had enough of this now!" Rose yelled, her face contorted in anger. Amy was about to comfort her but paused when the shrill sound of sonic filled the air. She turned to see sparks fly from the elevator controls. "Who are you then? Who's that lot downstairs?"

The man chose to ignore and sauntered down the corridor instead. Amy shook her head in disbelief before running to catch up to him. There was only one thing in the world that made that sound. It was a sound Amy thought she would never hear again.

She examined his attire again and blew a breath of relief. It wasn't the same raggedy attire he was sporting when she first met him.

" _I said,"_ Rose hissed as she finally caught up to them. "Who are they?!"

The man didn't even look at Rose as he addressed her question. "They're made of plastic. Living plastic creatures"

Amy frowned. She had encountered beings like this before. Flashes of Stonehenge flooded her as she remembered reuniting with Rory. She smiled softly at the memory before shifting her attention back to the bickering pair.

"They're being controlled by a relay device in the roof, which would've been a great big problem if I didn't have _this_ " he exclaimed triumphantly as he pulled out a small device that looked strikingly similar to a small bomb.

Amy smirked. There was no question this man was the Doctor. He was the only person who would carry bombs in his bigger-on-the-inside pockets. The man caught her smirking and glared at her.

"What you smirking about?" the smirk faded quickly as she looked at him sheepishly.

"Sorry." The man gave her one last look before he continued with his rant.

"So, I'm going to go up there and blow them up" Amy raised her eyebrow at his bluntness. He opened an exit door and grabbed Rose by her arm, pulling her into an alleyway.

"And I might die in the process, but don't worry about me, no, you go home with your ginger friend over there. Go on" he urged as he pushed Amy out of the door as well. He then leaned against the door, the bomb bleeping in his hand as he addressed the gobsmacked look on Rose's face.

"Go and have your lovely beans on toast and remember, don't tell anyone about this because if you do, you'll get them killed" he quickly spoke before slamming the door in their faces.

Amy and Rose turned to face each other with shocked expressions. That man was most certainly the Doctor but he didn't recognise her…which meant this was prior to when he met her in her garden…unless he was lying again. They both turned to leave when the door flew open and the Doctor poked his head out.

"I'm the Doctor by the way, what're your names?"

"Rose." Rose answered uncertainly.

"I'm Amy" she said, testing her hypothesis. Judging by his face, he definitely had no idea who she was, proving he was a previous incarnation.

"Nice to meet you Rose, Amy" he grinned as he held up the bomb for them to see, shaking it slightly. "Run for your lives!"

With that, he slammed the door to one of Amy's chances of finding Rory. Rose stood in shock, gaping at the door.

"He's mad!" she exclaimed before running off. Amy barely spared the girl a second thought, knowing they would probably never meet again anyway. It was a good thing she was getting away from the danger.

The Doctor was right in front of her. The thought confused Amy, the angel was supposed to send her _away_ from him. Yet there he was, once again. It seemed the Doctor always found a way back to her.

Did the angel mess something up? Or was this planned?

She sighed, turning to leave the alleyway. She noticed Rose was long gone. She nodded in relief. The poor girl must have family waiting for her. Amy felt the prickling of tears threatening to leave her eyes. Her family was lost, scattered across time.

She was knocked to the ground by the explosion of the building. People topped over each other and screamed as they ran away from the building. Buses swerved and nearly crashed into cars in surprise.

Amy looked up at the burning buildings, watching as the flames flickered and danced in the empty expanse of a destroyed shop. The burning ferocity renewed Amy's spirits.

She wasn't going to give up now. She managed to make it this far, she could soldier on. She would find her family.

She would find Rory.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you **Ashrain114** for letting me use her story as a template. This story will follow the Doctor Who canon lore but with the addition of Amy, Rory and other characters, new plotlines and new episodes to set this story apart from the adaptations before it.


	2. Coincidences

_Coincidences_

* * *

The next afternoon, Amy was strolling through London going over everything she had learned. She had found out it was the year 2005, which made her pause. A lot of big things were going to happen over the next couple of years and if she was to find Rory or the Doctor again, she may have to live through them. She searched all night but she didn't manage to find a clue that could have led her to Rory.

After the Doctor blew up Henrik's last night, Amy watched mournfully as Wilson's body was dragged out of the wreckage before she had fallen asleep besides a tree overlooking a pond in a local park. Before she fell asleep, she compiled a mental list of things to do. The first thing on her list was to avoid Leadworth at all costs.

Her younger self was still there, most likely laughing at Rory bumbling over something or scheming with Mels to get a teacher back or skipping school. She smiled softly at the memories of her family. They were the last thing she thought about before allowing fatigue to envelop her, drifting asleep.

When she woke up the next morning, she found that she was left undisturbed for the entire night. Looking around, she saw several people out on morning jogs and shivered in the chilly morning air, yearning for the warm afternoon heat. She stood up and stretched, working the kinks that had developed overnight out of her back.

Amy made her way to the public toilet and used the wash basin to wash her face, wiping away the contents of leftover makeup. While she combed out any knots in her hair, Amy pondered over what she should do next.

While fiddling around with her tan jacket, Amy discovered thirty quid stuffed in the bottom of the pocket and smiled. Rory always made sure she had money on her just in case. The memory of her husband caused her to tear up a bit but she quickly dismissed the thought. She made a pledge last night to find him and she intended to follow through with that promise.

Suddenly, Amy's stomach rumbled obnoxiously and she sighed. Before she could do anything, she would need food.

* * *

Deciding to conserve the money she had, Amy ate at a Pizza and Pasta place she passed earlier in the morning while looking for a place to eat. Now, she was seated at a secluded table near the door waiting for her pizza to arrive. She curiously looked around the area.

The place was fairly full as people sat eating pizza and chatting happily about current affairs. She noticed one brunette girl, who was picking at her food, her eyes stained with tears. She had a blue book by her side and Amy could just make out the title. _101 places to see_

The waitress finally arrived with her pizza. Handing her the right amount of money for the bill, Amy wondered if she would have to get a low key job. She'd have to use an alias to avoid the creation of a paradox.

Finishing her pizza, Amy stood to go to the toilet, passing a man in a leather jacket with a champagne bottle in hand.

Amy froze. Quickly she turned around to confirm what she had seen. There was the Doctor, champagne bottle in hand, talking to a couple distracted by their heated conversation to notice him. Running her eyes over the couple, Amy took notice of the peroxide blonde hair and gasped.

Rose. Was the Doctor following her? Why?

This was beyond coincidence.

She then noticed something about her boyfriend. He was gripping her hand tightly and had a sadistic grin plastered on his face. His skin looked unnatural and Amy finally realised why the Doctor had followed Rose.

She walked over and stood right behind Rose's chair. The only one to notice her was the Doctor, who raised a finger to his lips, signalling her to keep quiet. Amy complied and watched as the Doctor shifted his attention back to Rose and her friend.

"Doesn't _anybody_ want their champagne?"

"Look," the boyfriend growled as he turned to face the Doctor. "We didn't order any champagne-"

He finally realised who he was talking to and chuckled darkly. "Ah!"

Rose turned to see who he was talking to and Amy watched as her jaw dropped to the floor.

"Gotcha" the boyfriend exclaimed. Amy stiffened at the use of the word but quickly dismissed it. She had to make sure Rose would be safe. She then noticed the Doctor was shaking the bottle vigorously, glee painted onto his face.

"Oh, don't mind me," he exclaimed as he finally stopped shaking the bottle and pointed it directly at Rose's boyfriend. Rose stared at him in shock. "I'm just toasting the happy couple, on the house!"

With that, he released a cork and Amy watched it fly straight for the boy's head. Instead of bouncing right off, the cork was… _absorbed_ into the boy's head.

"What the…" He then began to move his mouth rapidly in a chewing manner and Amy wrinkled her nose.

"Your mum never teach you to eat slowly?" she saw the Doctor roll his eyes from the corner of her eye and smirked. She noticed Rose flinch when she mentioned his mother and wondered if she was dead or something.

The boy stopped chewing and spit the cork right into Amy's face. The cork hit her forehead and bounced onto the table. Amy glared at the alien, who shifted his attention to the Doctor. People throughout the restaurant observed the scene, clearly shocked.

"Anyway." The boy deadpanned as he stood from the table, grinning sadistically. The three looked down to see his hand morph into a chopper, startling everybody in the restaurant. He slammed the chopper onto the table and snapped it in two. Moving on instinct, Amy pulled Rose away before she was injured and took her away from the scene while the Doctor jumped on the man and wrapped his arms around his head, similar to how he took off the arm of that mannequin back in the shop.

Amy checked Rose over for any injuries, worried that plastic boy had hurt her.

"Did he hurt you?" she asked worriedly. Rose quickly shook her head and Amy sighed. She looked up and saw Rose gaping at her.

"It-it's you," she stuttered as she looked at Amy in shock. "From the shop…!"

Before Amy could respond, the scream of a man reverberated around the entire room and she turned to see the Doctor with the man's head in his arm. The body was flailing around wildly, crashing into several tables and pillars and crushing them.

"Shut up and run!" she screamed at the man, who quickly jumped up and ran out the door. Amy noticed the body blindly approaching a little girl who was clearly petrified, waving its chopper maniacally.

The shrill sound of a fire alarm filled the air and Amy turned to see Rose has slammed it, yelling for everybody to get out. This seemed to snap the girl out of her stupor, as she leapt out of her chair and ran out the door with her mother.

She could see people running out the door but the teenage girl she noticed earlier ran back in. Amy was confused for a second but then noticed her book was resting on the floor. She watched as the girl picked it up with tears in her eyes.

"Look out!" Amy screamed when she realised the headless body was dangerously close to the girl. The Doctor and Rose hadn't noticed her and they ran through the back to the kitchen, most likely evacuating the cooks.

Turning back, Amy dived and pulled the teenager to safety. The poor girl looked traumatised and Amy's motherly instincts kicked in.

"Hey, it's okay" she replied softly. The girl looked at her. "Why did you run back in?"

"The book" the girl replied, holding it up for her to see with shaking hands. "It was my mother's" Amy nodded sympathetically. "You better run to your dad now"

The girl nodded, thanked Amy and ran out the door. Amy turned to follow her when a voice called out to her.

"Oi, ginger!" she turned to see the Doctor beckoning for her to join him, plastic head still tucked under his arm. Amy ran towards him, noticing the body was also following them. She followed him through a kitchen and a narrow corridor. She pulled down stacked chairs in an effort to slow the body down. For a headless dummy, it was surprisingly agile.

They ran out through another door and found themselves in a spacious back area. She could see Rose desperately trying to open a chained gate. Amy slammed the door behind her and used her weight to keep it closed as she felt the body fight to open it. The Doctor pushed her out of the way and locked it with the sonic screwdriver.

"Use that tube thing! Come on!" Rose screamed. Amy noticed desperation was laced into her tone. The Doctor just shrugged, completely ignoring her emotional state as he started strolling towards a blue box.

Amy felt as if time froze. It was the TARDIS, her spaceship. The mythical blue box that was bigger on the inside that never took them to where they wanted to go, but to where they needed. Old, new and the bluest blue ever. A tear fell from Amy's eyes and she smiled at the sentient time machine.

"Nah," the Doctor chuckled and Amy remembered the current situation. "Tell you what, let's go in here" he pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked it. Amy suddenly remembered the key still in the pocket of her jeans and decided to hide it from him.

Amy wrestled over whether she should step into the TARDIS or not. Apart from pulling her away from the head, he acted like he completely forgot she was there. To be fair, he did come back for her. Amy smiled at the thought. No matter what regeneration, the Doctor always came back for her.

"You can't hide inside a wooden box!" Rose cried, eyeballing the TARDIS. Amy sighed. She couldn't leave the girl on her own. The plastic body slammed on the door again and Rose gasped.

"It's going to get us…" she yelled as she ran to the gate. She used all her strength to try and pry the gate open but she still failed. "Doctor…!"

Rose finally moved away from the gate and ran into the TARDIS. Amy blew out a breath of relief and was about to join them when she collided with Rose's back. The girl stared at the police box in shock, circling it as if she was trying to convince herself there was a reason it was bigger on the inside. She circled the whole of the TARDIS and joined a very confused Amy at the doors.

"It's…" she trailed off when the plastic boyfriend managed to make a dent in the door. Amy grabbed the girl by the arm and dragged her into the TARDIS for her own safety. Amy turned and gasped in shock at the sight.

It was the same console room her and Rory ran into to disable the shields so the Doctor and Idris could get into the TARDIS. Everything was the same, from the time rotor in the middle, which shone a noticeably marine blue hue, to the large Y-shaped structures Amy and Rory hid behind to avoid disintegration.

It wasn't the TARDIS she was used to but it was still magnificent. Suddenly, the frenzy and paranoia from when she first entered the TARDIS bubbled inside her. She wasn't meant to be here…yet he she was.

"It's going to follow us!" Rose yelled feebly before freezing again, as if she finally realised where she was. The Doctor was pressing several buttons and pulling levers, busy at work.

"The assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door and believe me, they've tried. Now shut up a minute"

Amy wondered what the assembled hordes of Genghis Khan was for a second before checking on Rose, who was still looking around the TARDIS in shock. She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, which snapped her out of her reverie.

"Are you ok?" Rose nodded quickly, looking at the interior of the spaceship again in awe.

"It's just so…" she couldn't find the right word and Amy nodded in understanding. There was not a word in the English dictionary that could describe the TARDIS.

"Yeah, it is"

The Doctor finally finished fiddling around with the controls and turned to face them cheerfully. Peering over him, Amy could see he attached the plastic head to the TARDIS console.

"Right, where do you want to start?"

"Um…" Rose paused, looking at the man as if seeing him for the first time. She gulped and Amy placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Rose smiled at her gratefully before facing the Doctor again. "The inside's bigger than the outside?"

"Yes" the Doctor clarified.

"It's alien…" Rose trailed off, her face paling. Realising she wasn't a part of the conversation, Amy brushed past the Doctor and looked at the console to determine whether it had a similar mechanism to her TARDIS. The Doctor had taught her how to fly the TARDIS once but he was stuck in space and she was attacked by an entity and it was all a long story. At least she knew how to raise and deactivate the shields.

"Yep"

"Are you alien?" Rose asked, staring at the Doctor. Amy tuned herself back into the conversation and saw the Doctor staring at Rose intently.

"Yes" he replied. Amy smiled at his bluntness. He never did hide the fact he was an alien. "Is that ok?"

"Yeah" Rose quickly replied and the Doctor visibly cheered up. Amy made her way to a structure and placed her hand on it. She gasped when she felt something pulse between her fingers.

"It's beautiful…" Amy gasped. Last time she was in here, it was an unused desktop. Now that she was here to witness it first hand, she couldn't help but admire its beauty.

"Don't touch anything" the Doctor snapped at her. Amy held up both her hands in surrender.

"I didn't!" she defended. The Doctor shot her an uneasy look before returning to address Rose. Amy could've sworn she heard the TARDIS purr and looked at the rotor with a smile.

"It's called the TARDIS, this thing. That's T-A-R-D-I-S. Time and Relative Dimensions in Space" he explained.

For a few seconds, Rose remained completely silent before she covered her mouth with her hand and sobbed. Pitying the girl, Amy wrapped an arm around her while the Doctor stared at Rose uncomfortably. Amy rolled her eyes. He never did understand human emotions.

"That's alright," the Doctor awkwardly comforted. "Culture shock, happens to the best of us"

"Did they kill him?" Rose asked, pulling her hand away from her mouth, looking at the Doctor in utter distress. She sighed at the Doctor's confused face and continued. "Mickey… did- did they kill Mickey? Is he dead?"

Keeping her arm wrapped around the distraught Rose, Amy peered over the Doctor's shoulder again and wondered if the plastic boyfriend was Mickey. Meanwhile, the Doctor looked like he had just remembered the plastic boyfriend was once a human being.

"Oh, I didn't think of that"

"He's my _boyfriend_ ," Rose practically screeched at him. "You pulled off his head!"

"In his defence, he did try to attack us with a chopper" Amy reminded her softly. Rose shrugged out of Amy's arm and glared at the Doctor, ignoring her completely.

"They copied him and you didn't even think?!" Rose spat the question like venom. She paused and Amy wondered if the girl finally calmed down. She could see the Doctor shuffling restlessly and smirked.

"Now you're just going to let him melt?" Rose startled both the Doctor and Amy with her question.

"Melt…?" The Doctor whipped around and Amy could see that Rose was right. The eyes were peeling down the already melting face. "No, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor yelled as he jumped up and ran around the console. The familiar wheezing groan that reverberated around the room alerted Amy of the fact they were dematerialising.

"It's ok, I'm sure he's alive" Amy turned to try and comfort Rose. Rose looked at her mournfully.

"Why would they bother to keep him alive if they replaced him in the first place?" Rose whispered. Amy paused, the girl had a point. Rose bowed her head before turning to face the Doctor again. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to follow the signal- its fading" The Doctor explained as he scrambled around the console, pushing buttons and pressing levers. He stood motionless staring at the scanner for a few seconds. "Wait a minute, hold on…"

"Well?" Amy cried out when the Doctor wouldn't respond.

He didn't stand still for very long as he started pulling levers again vigorously "No, no, no, no, no, no!"

Amy realised they had landed when the Doctor left the console and brushed past them, running out the door.

"You can't go out there!" an alarmed Rose cried, tearing after him. "It's not safe!"

Amy looked at the control room one last time before joining them outside. The first thing Amy noticed was the RAF monument, deducing they were on the North bank of the Thames. She leaned against a railing looked in wonder at the city lights bounced off the water, reflecting London's majesty and allure.

Somewhere out there in 2020, Amy would be sitting right next to her raggedy Doctor discussing the ethics of their time travel. Amy smiled softly at the memory.

"I lost the signal, I got so close!" a frustrated Doctor exclaimed, leaning against the same railing as Amy, who rolled her eyes. Only the Doctor would ruin the serenity of the evening beauty.

"We've moved" Rose gasped in wonder as she closed the TARDIS door behind her. "Does it fly?"

"Disappeared there, reappeared here" The Doctor all but snarled at the girl. "You wouldn't understand"

"If we're somewhere else," Rose started, turning to look at the Doctor. "What about that headless thing? It's still on the loose" Amy realised the girl was right.

"It melted with the head" The Doctor stated brusquely. "Are you going to witter on all night?"

"Maybe we will, if you keep throwing insults at us" Amy threw in, having had enough of the Doctor's coldness. He turned to glare at her. Amy responded by glaring back.

"I'll have to tell his mother…" Rose sighed, rubbing her head. Amy froze and bowed her head, looking at the water. Her parents would never know what happened to her. Why she never came around for anymore Christmases or Easter's or…just to come around. The Doctor obviously wouldn't explain. He'd just leave them wondering.

He would leave them waiting for the rest of their lives.

"Mickey!" Rose shouted at the confused Doctor. "I'll have to tell his mother he's dead and you just went and forgot him _again_ " Rose huffed and shook her head. "You were right, you are alien"

"Look if I did forget some kid called Mickey-"

"Yeah, he's not a kid" Rose retorted, glaring at him. The Doctor ignored her interruption and continued with his speech.

"-It's because I'm trying to save the life of every _stupid_ ape on this planet, alright?" he finished, countering Rose with a glare of his own.

Rose's eyes widened as she gaped at the man in disbelief. "Alright?" she cried, questioning the man's authority.

"Yes, it is!" The Doctor retorted, crossing his arms. Amy sighed at his childishness. The fight seemed to have declined and both the Doctor and Rose resorted to not looking at each other.

"If you are an alien, how come you sound like you're from the North?" Rose asked suddenly. The Doctor and Amy both looked at Rose with a raised eyebrow.

"Lots of planets have a North!" he answered as if he was defending his pride.

"What's a police public call box?" Rose asked, looking up at the lettering on the TARDIS. Amy saw the Doctor visibly perk up.

"It's a police box from the 1950s" he explained, walking up and patting it lovingly. "It's a disguise!" he exclaimed proudly.

"Not a very good disguise, there's not exactly a bunch of police boxes nowadays" Amy pointed out. The Doctor just shrugged.

"Kay…" Rose shrugged it off, chuckling to herself. "And this living plastic…what's it got against us?"

"Nothing, it loves you!" he spoke with glee. "You've got such a good planet. Lots of smoke and oil, plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air…perfect!"

"Why do I feel like it's not as simple as that?" Amy asked, moving away from the railing and standing beside Rose.

"It's just what the Nestene Consciousness needs" Amy noted that the Nestene Consciousness was the same thing Rory was controlled by when she reunited with him in Stonehenge. Amy then noticed the Doctor staring at her and looked at him strangely.

"What?"

The Doctor continued to look at her with searching eyes, which made Amy uncomfortable before he turned to address Rose.

"It's food stock was destroyed in the war, all it's protein planets rotted, so Earth, dinner!"

Rose looked uncomfortable as she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her purple hoodie.

"Is there any way of stopping it?" Amy asked for Rose, who rocked back and forth on her toes. The Doctor pulled out a test tube filled with blue liquid and showed it to the two with a grin.

"Anti-plastic" he declared triumphantly as Amy looked at the tube curiously.

"Anti-plastic…?" Rose repeated, looking at the Doctor strangely as he ran his finger up and down the side of the tube excitedly.

"Anti-plastic!" he grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"You just happened to have anti-plastic on you?" Amy asked with a raised eyebrow. The Doctor shrugged innocently as if it was perfectly normal.

"But first I've got to find it" he continued, steeling his face for the task ahead. "How can you hide something that big in a city this small?"

"I wouldn't consider London to be small" Amy scoffed. She turned to find that the Doctor had wandered back to the railing, Rose right behind him.

"Hold on," Rose wrinkled her nose as she tried to keep up with the Doctor's thought process. "Hide what?"

"The transmitter!" the Doctor replied, turning to face her. "The consciousness is controlling every single piece of plastic so it needs a transmitter to boost the signal"

"What's it look like?" Rose asked as the Doctor walked past her and Amy.

"Like a transmitter" the Doctor inputted unhelpfully.

"Yeah, that helps" Amy replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Round and massive, somewhere slap bang in the middle of London" he added, giving Amy a weary look. Amy wished she understood what went through his head. It was easier with her Doctor but this one was more aloof and cold.

Amy noticed he was standing by a rail to get a better look at London. Her eyes wandered behind him and her jaw dropped. _Oh, of course_. The Doctor seemed unaware as he continued with his rant.

"A huge circular structure…like a dish!" his voice raised as he thought of an example. Rose looked at Amy and followed her gaze and her own eyes widened with realisation. "Radial, close to where we're standing, must be _completely_ invisible!"

The Doctor noticed Amy and Rose's looks and frowned.

"What?"

The two just motioned at what they were looking at. He turned to look at the London eye before turning back towards them.

"What?" he asked again, confused. Amy was getting annoyed by the Doctor's obliviousness. She pointed towards the London eye.

"What?" he followed her finger but he didn't see what they saw. "What is it? What?"

Amy exchanged frustrated looks with Rose, gesturing violently towards the London eye. She only became more frustrated when the Doctor continued to stare at the eye, clueless of what they saw.

"I really don't-"

"Look at the eye!" Amy and Rose yelled simultaneously, cutting him off. The Doctor turned to look at the eye before turning to look at them. Then he turned to look at the eye again.

Then he looked at them with a huge smile.

"Fantastic!"

* * *

Clara watched as the headless body started to melt away. She clung to her book tighter as the fire brigade and police looked at the melting body in confusion. She was worried they hadn't found the ginger woman who saved her inside the restaurant. A tap on her shoulder alerted her of the presence of her father.

"You shouldn't have done that Clara," her father, Dave started. Clara didn't want to listen to this. All she wanted was to go home and sleep for a long time. "Why did you even run in?"

"I dropped the book" she replied softly. Dave faltered and pulled her into a hug. Clara hugged him back. They had only come into London to spend the day after her mother had died to give them time to soak it in before her funeral tomorrow.

"Come on, let's go home"

"Yeah, home…" Clara whispered. While the two walked past multiple people and policeman, Clara spotted an unusual looking man with a ridiculous bow tie and brown tweed jacket looking at the restaurant with sad eyes. He looked startled when a voice came from inside the blue box he was standing by and jumped inside.

Suddenly, a stream of people stampeded past, blocking Clara's view of the strange man. Annoyed, she pushed several people in her way, much to the chagrin of her father.

By the time she could see again, the man and the blue box were gone.


	3. I got the Bronze

_I got the Bronze_

* * *

"Think of it!" The Doctor cried as he ran across Westminster Bridge with Amy and Rose. "Plastic all over the world, every artificial thing waiting to come alive"

"Nice thought" Amy quipped, shuddering. She still suffered from what happened at Stonehenge, though she tried not to show it.

"The shop window dummies, the phones, the wires, the cables…"

"The breast implants!" Rose threw in, causing Amy to scoff as they came to a stop underneath the London eye.

"Still, we've found the transmitter" the Doctor continued turning his head to look at the eye. "The consciousness must be somewhere underneath"

Amy turned to look around but froze. Straight ahead of her a man was staring straight at her. His face was concealed in a mask and his face was twisted in a sadistic sneer.

"What about down here?" Amy heard Rose call out. She turned to look at the girl and noticed the Doctor had already run over to see what she was looking at.

"Looks good to me!" he declared running over to a gate and opening it. He then turned to look at Amy expectantly.

"Come on then, shift!" Amy turned to get a better look at the man but realised he had vanished. Cataloguing the thought for later, Amy ran over to join the Doctor and Rose, who had already opened a manhole and were climbing down it. Amy followed them and jumped down the ladder to examine her surroundings.

The room was brick walled and had several chains sticking from the top. She pulled a stray chain out of the way as the three made their way to a door. Quickly looking at them both, the Doctor pulled the door open.

The first thing Amy noticed was the stench. She waved a hand in front of her face in an effort to dismiss the deathly reek. A bright red glow danced around the room, flickering and casting shadows that made Amy jump slightly. There was a set of metal steps connected to a catwalk that stood as a pedestal to the room. Amy noticed more metal chains hanging from the ceiling as well.

Amy's eyes then trailed to a giant vat in the middle of the room. She wrinkled her nose when she saw a face moulded in the liquid that was most likely radioactive.

"The Nestene Consciousness" The Doctor declared as he leaned against the railing. "That's it, inside the vat"

"How the hell has no one found it?" Amy asked. The Doctor pointed towards a pile of dead bodies in the corner of the room and Amy bowed her head in quiet respect.

"A living plastic creature" he spat, disgusted by the innocent dead people. Rose seemed oblivious to the dead bodies as she continued to stare at the vat.

"Well then, tip in your anti-plastic and let's go" Rose urged eagerly. Amy couldn't blame her. There was something unnatural about this building.

"He has to give it a chance" Amy said absentmindedly. The Doctor and Rose turned to look at her curiously and Amy realised her slip up. "I mean, he said it was living, right? Killing something living is murder"

The Doctor gave her another curious look that unnerved her. No doubt he was already trying to figure who she was. Eventually, he clambered down the stairs and Amy blew a breath of relief. She didn't need added suspicion right now. Shaking her head clear of the thoughts, she checked on Rose who was looking at the man worriedly with a hint of admiration flickering in her eyes.

Amy climbed down the stairs with Rose right behind her. The two soon reached the Doctor who was looking at the living plastic blob with a look of command on his face.

"I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract, according to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation"

The consciousness roared at the Doctor. Amy couldn't understand it, but the Doctor obviously did.

"Thank you" he gave the consciousness a curt nod. "That I may have permission to approach"

"Oh my god…!" Amy heard Rose cry out. She turned to see the girl clambering down another flight of steps and crouch over a terrified male who Amy soon realised was her boyfriend, Mickey.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and turned to Amy expectantly. She got the message and ran over to Rose to make sure the girl didn't get herself killed.

"That thing down there…" Mickey whispered. "The liquid, Rose- it can _talk_ "

"It can?" Amy frowned. All she heard was gruff roaring.

" _Yesssss"_ The Consciousness hissed. Amy jumped back in shock but Rose seemed oblivious as she tried to calm a hysterical Mickey.

"Doctor, they kept him alive!" Rose told him as he climbed down the stairs after them.

"Yeah, that was always a possibility- keep him alive to maintain the copy" he replied briefly as he brushed past them.

Rose glared at him. "You knew that and you never said?"

"Can we keep the domestics outside?" The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Thank you!"

Rose grumbled under her breath while Amy stood to join the Doctor. As if he read her mind, the Doctor turned and looked at her.

"No, you stay here with Rose"

Amy scowled but complied as she moved over and sat next to Rose and Mickey. The Doctor nodded and went down another flight of steps until he was addressing the Nestene Consciousness. Meanwhile, Rose stood up and started to look for a better angle to look. Amy raised an eyebrow at her actions.

"He _did_ say we should stay here" Amy reminded her.

"Yeah, he did" Rose said looking at her expectantly. Amy grinned and followed the blonde teenager, dragging a whimpering Mickey by his coat. They eventually found an area where they watch the Doctor safely.

"Am I addressing the consciousness?" the Doctor asked over a metal catwalk directly above the plastic being. The creature gurgled something inaudible in response. "Thank you"

"Thanking it isn't going to help" Amy mumbled.

"If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilisation by means of warped, shunt technology, so, may I suggest that you _shunt off_?" The Doctor asked cheerfully. Amy wanted to slam her forehead against the metal railing.

"He's going to get us killed" she hissed under her breath. Rose and Mickey remained silent, watching the scene intently.

The plastic seemed to harbour Amy's thoughts as it began to roar violently, radioactive liquid spilling from it as it spat at the Doctor in disgust.

"I AM TALKING!" The Doctor roared, silencing the creature. "This planet is just starting; these stupid little people have only just learned how to walk but they're capable of so much more"

"He's good at speeches, I'll give him that" Rose breathed out. Amy chuckled at the comment. The girl had no idea just how good he was at speeches.

"I'm asking on their behalf, please, just go"

Movement behind the Doctor caught Amy's eyes. Leaning over the rail, she saw two plastic men approaching the Doctor. Rose gasped, having seen them too.

"Doctor, look out!" Amy yelled. The Doctor didn't seem to hear her as he continued to plead with the Nestene Consciousness.

"Doctor, behind you!" an unimpressed Rose cried out. The Doctor heard them too late as the two plastic men clamped their arms around the Doctor's own and kept him steady. The Doctor struggled against his captors while one of them dug inside his pockets and fished out the anti-plastic.

"Well, so much for that plan" Amy growled.

"That was just insurance…I wasn't going to _use_ it!"

The consciousness didn't seem to believe him as it gurgled in what Amy interpreted to be a smug tone.

"Sassy plastic, just what we need!" Amy cried sarcastically, feeling useless. Rose and Mickey obviously felt the same as they watched the scene helplessly.

"I was _not_ attacking you," The Doctor cried. "I'm here to help! I'm not your enemy, I swear, I'm no-"

The Doctor paused as the plastic screeched at him. "What do you mean?"

Amy felt Rose tug on her arm and turned to see a door slide away to reveal a TARDIS, bathed in the glow of a spotlight. Hope coursed through Amy as she began to consider they might get out of this safely.

"That's not true!" Amy heard the Doctor cry out. She tore her eyes away from the TARDIS and looked at him in surprise. Was that guilt laced in his tone?

"I fought in the war- it wasn't my fault! I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!"

Amy's stomach dropped as she looked at the Doctor sadly. She had found him directly after the Time War, the thing that had ripped him apart. Even though it was hundreds of years ago for her Doctor, Amy could still see flashes of guilt from time to time.

"What's it doing?" Rose cried out, leaning over the railing to get a better look. Amy had moved away, coming to terms with the revelation that the Doctor was still suffering from the Time War.

"It's the TARDIS," the Doctor answered, looking at them with fear in his eyes. "The Nestene have identified its superior technology and it's terrified!"

"What does that mean?" Amy asked, even though she had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach that she already knew the answer.

"It's going to the final base, it's starting the invasion!" he conceded, having stopped struggling in the arms of his captors. "Get out, you three, just leg it!"

Amy saw Rose had stopped listening and watched as she dug her phone out of her pocket. While she dialled the number and pressed the phone to her ear, Amy turned and helped the terrified Mickey to his feet.

"Hey, it's okay…" Amy whispered gently, trying to calm the boy's nerves. The boy looked at her and nodded shakily.

"Mum?" Amy heard Rose cry. "Where are you mum?"

"We're going to die here" Mickey whimpered. Amy turned to him and shook her head. "I'm sure he'll get us out"

"You're putting a lot of trust in this guy" Amy just shrugged. Even though she tried to hide it, she never really let go of her faith in the Doctor. That was a part of her that would never fade away.

"No, forget about the coffee table, just go home!" Rose yelled. "Go home right now! Mum? MUM?" she pulled the phone away from ear and looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown.

A tugging on her arm brought Amy's attention back to the whimpering Mickey. "Who are you?"

Amy smiled at him sadly. "My name's Amy. Amy Pond"

A loud explosion caught their attention. Bolts of lightning shot out of the consciousness and flew around the room. Mickey pulled Amy down as a bolt flew across her head. Amy watched in horror as the bolts coalesced and shot out from the ceiling.

"The activation signal" The Doctor's resigned voice called out. "It's transmitting!"

"It's the end of the world" Rose whispered sadly. Amy pulled herself up and her eyes met with the Doctor's. His eyes softened again and Amy wondered, not for the first time, why he looked at her like that.

"Get out, all of you!" The Doctor cried out when his eyes locked with Rose's and turned more fearful. "Just get out! Run!"

As soon as he finished, the stairs they had climbed down collapsed as a lightning bolt hit it. Amy's eyes grew wide with fear.

"The stairs are gone!" Rose cried out. Pulling Mickey to his feet, Amy pushed him and Rose towards the TARDIS. Rose started to pound on the door in an attempt to open it.

"I haven't got a key!"

The ground underneath Amy suddenly collapsed. Screaming, she grabbed the railing and clung on. Mickey scrambled over and reached out his hand to help her up.

Amy was about to grab his hand when a searing pain shot through her forehead. She screamed in pain.

" _Andrea, grab my hand!"_

"Amy!" Mickey's voice bought Amy back to reality. She grabbed Mickey's hand to pull herself up, but promptly slipped and clung to the railing again.

"You're hands sweaty!" she yelled at him. Mickey quickly wiped his hand on his trouser and reached out again. He turned to Rose, who was staring at the Doctor intently.

"Rose, leave him and help me!"

Rose apparently never heard him and she ran over to an axe that rested on pipes and grabbed it, starting to hack at some chains. One of the pipes dropped and rolled beside Mickey during the rush.

"Leave him!" Mickey begged as he desperately tried to help Amy up.

"No, help the Doctor!" Amy cried out. Even if she was left behind, at least the teenagers would be safe. It wasn't the first time she was left behind.

"I've got no A-levels, no job, and no _future_ " Rose started as she hacked at the chains with more energy. "I'll tell you what I have got. Jericho Street Junior School under 7's gymnastics team"

Mickey pulled a face. "Hold on, didn't you-"

"Yep," Rose interrupted, turning the now loose chain and looking at the Doctor. "I got the bronze!"

Letting out a battle cry, Rose jumped off the catwalk and swung across the room, hitting one of the dummies in the chest. The surprise of Rose's attack caused the dummy to drop the anti-plastic into the vat.

The Doctor had used to distraction to swing his captor off him and into the consciousness vat.

"Rose!" the Doctor called out as he grabbed the girl and steadied her. The two looked down at the vat while Amy grabbed Mickey's hand and successfully propelled herself up.

She looked down to see the Doctor and Rose beginning to run up the steps towards them and gasped when she saw a dummy was waiting to ambush them with a gun planted inside it's arm.

The Doctor and Rose finally noticed the dummy and Rose screamed in surprise. Grabbing the pipe, Amy propelled it across the room and watched as it whacked the dummy's leg. It fell to the ground in surprise and shot the air instead of its intended targets.

The Doctor and Rose grinned and continued to run towards the TARDIS, hopping over the missing platform in the process. The Doctor pulled out his key and unlocked the door.

Mickey and the Doctor piled into the TARDIS and Amy pushed a smug looking Rose into the TARDIS. Amy turned to follow them inside as the entire room shook violently.

" _Amelia!"_ the consciousness hissed at her. Amy turned to look at it in surprise.

" _The decision waits for you Amelia,"_ the consciousness hissed at her. " _It will turn your life upside down"_

"What do you mean!?" Amy demanded. Instead of answer, the consciousness began to morph into something disgusting and Amy had the horrible feeling it was about to explode.

Wasting no time, she jumped into the TARDIS and rested her head against the door as the TARDIS promptly took off.

"Are you ok?" a concerned Rose ran up to her and let Amy grip her arm for support.

"That was… _amazing,_ Rose!" Amy cried out ecstatically. "You were amazing!"

"Thanks, but you're the one who saved used from that plastic dummy with your amazing aim"

"I try" Amy teased. The two laughed while a dazed Mickey looked around the TARDIS in horror.

As soon as the TARDIS landed, Mickey jumped out the door and hid behind two wooden pallets. Amy sighed at his actions while Rose chose to ignore as she dialled in a number again. After a few moments, she chuckled and hung up on whoever was talking.

Amy finally noticed they had arrived in an alley and rested on the side of the TARDIS, still recovering from the Nestene's words. She jumped when she realised the Doctor was suddenly standing right next to her.

"Nestene consciousness," he clicked his fingers. "Easy!"

"You were useless in there" Rose teased. "You'd be dead if it wasn't for me and Amy"

"Yes, I would" he said as he turned to look at Amy with those searching eyes again. "Thank you"

After a second of silence, he looked away at Amy and looked at Rose. "Right then, I'll be off!"

Amy was about to speak when the Doctor interrupted her.

"Unless, uh…" he shrugged his shoulders as Amy and Rose looked at him with pleading eyes. "I don't know…you two could with me"

He looked at Rose with questioning eyes and Amy could see the cogs whirling in the girl's head as she stuffed her hands into her pockets again.

"This box isn't just a London hopper," he explained. "It goes anywhere in the universe free of charge"

"Don't!" Mickey cried as she clung to Rose's legs again. "He's an alien, he's a _thing_!"

Amy shot Mickey a reprimanded look and the sheepish boy looked at the ground.

"He's _not_ invited" the Doctor replied coolly. "What do you think? You could stay here, fill your life with work and food and sleep or you could go, uh…anywhere"

"Is it always this dangerous?" Rose asked and Amy grinned as she realised Rose was seriously considering it.

"Yeah" the Doctor replied. Amy noticed her didn't even lie about it. He didn't tell her the reality of their travels until the Churchill bunker incident. Even then, Amy had figured it out by herself.

Mickey leaned over and wrapped his arms around Rose's waist, which shook her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah, I can't!" Rose declared uncertainly, shaking her head slightly. "I've…uh…gotta go find my mum and um…someone's got to look after this stupid lump" she chuckled as she patted Mickey's head. "So…"

"Ok" the Doctor looked at her sadly before turning to Amy. "What about you?"

"Yeah, I'll come" she whispered. She felt bad she was only using the Doctor to find Rory, but she had a feeling the Doctor was only asking her to come along because he found her suspicious. It wasn't the first time this happened.

The two entered the TARDIS and the Doctor took off without a word. Amy knew he really wanted Rose to tag along and so did she. She leaned over to the Doctor who was still working on the console.

"I thought you said this could travel in time?" she insinuated innocently. For the first time since she met this version of the Doctor, he looked at her and gave her a genuine smile. Twisting controls faster, he materialised back in the alleyway and flung open the door.

"By the way, did I mention? It also travels in time"

The Doctor walked back to the console and Amy heard Rose whisper something before she ran into the TARDIS with a big grin.

* * *

Rory pulled the plastic dummy off him. He had gotten caught in the scuffle when they came alive and had to fight them off. When they suddenly switched themselves off, Rory knew the Doctor had something to do with it.

He looked around the area sadly. He didn't find any clue that could lead him to Amy in two days and was beginning to lose hope. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Rory started to walk down the ravaged, empty street.

"Hello" a quiet voice whispered. Rory jumped and turned around to see a woman looking at him. There was something unnatural about her that made Rory uncomfortable. Before he could say anything, the woman turned her head sharply to the left. Rory followed her gaze and saw…nothing.

"You really shouldn't interfere" the woman stated as she inspected her nails.

" _Give me the centurion"_ Rory jumped at the voice and looked around frantically to see who spoke. He grew weary when he saw nobody else in hearing range.

The woman sighed in a flash of annoyance and turned to face Rory again. A rippling in his stomach alerted Rory of the fact something was happening. Looking down he saw golden tendrils wrap around him and he cried out in surprise.

"What's happening?"

"You'll be safe, I promise" the woman replied cryptically.

The golden tendrils wrapped around Rory and he cried out in surprise.

Soon, all that remained were a few golden wisps fluttering in the evening breeze. Rory Williams had disappeared.

* * *

 **A/N:** That's the end of chapter 3 and the episode _Rose_! I hope you all enjoyed reading it and the seeds of the arcs I peppered in this episode! Next up: The End of the World!

 **Transcending Darkness** : Ali! I never expected to see you! I'm glad you liked chapter 1 and are looking forward to the rest of the series. I hope I don't disappoint!

 **NotWritten:** Thank you very much! I promise to keep smiling :)

 **MargieMe:** Thank you! I enjoyed writing the viewpoint of a devastated teenage Clara Oswald still reeling from the aftermath of the death of her mother, Ellie Oswald. I'm glad you're eager for more and hope you stick around for the rest of the series!


	4. Air from my Lungs

_Air from my lungs_

* * *

Amy watched Rose run into the TARDIS with a huge grin. She grimaced as she realised she shouldn't be here. Something was clearly wrong with the timelines if the angels sent her to a time where she was still alive. Now, in the TARDIS with a Doctor who did not even know her yet, Amy knew things were going to go horribly wrong if she didn't get back to Rory soon.

"Right then, Rose Tyler" the Doctor looked over at Rose from the opposite side of the console, playing with what looked like a ball. Amy stood on right side of the console, next to the captain's chair. "Tell me, where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time, what's it going to be?"

Amy's heart jumped. She begged Rose internally to pick backwards, repeating it over in her head.

Rose shook her head slightly before grinning "Forwards!" Amy's smile dropped. She would have to convince the Doctor another time to send them on a trip to the past.

The Doctor dropped the circular ball in his hand and flipped a couple of switches. Amy felt the TARDIS come to life and watched as the materialisation process began.

"How far?"

"100 years!"

Amy rolled her eyes. That was such a boring destination. She cringed when she realised she sounded like her Doctor, always bouncing around and declaring their destinations to be too boring or too human.

The Doctor did as Rose asked. Amy watched as he started to spin a knob, pull a lever and twist a round circular device. Amy tried to keep track. The Doctor had only taught her to fly the TARDIS once during her first year of travelling with him, then he banned her from flying it altogether unless the TARDIS decided to fling her into the Vortex.

Amy stopped when she realised she could keep track of the Doctor zooming around the console and realised he was showing off to Rose.

The TARDIS shuddered to a halt. "There you go, step outside those doors and it's the twenty seventh century"

"You're kidding" Rose looked at him with wide eyes.

"That's a bit boring though…do you want to go further?"

"Fine by me!"

The Doctor began to push and pull more levers and the TARDIS started to shake more violently. She realised she wasn't speaking much when Rose gave her a curious look.

"Ten thousand years in the future! Step outside, it's the year 12005, the new Roman Empire" the Doctor boasted.

"You think you're so impressive!"

"I am so impressive!" The Doctor retaliated. Amy giggled when she saw the Doctor looked like his pride was shot.

"You wish!" Rose grinned before she gestured towards Amy, her grin fading. "And how come Amy doesn't get to-"

"Right, you asked for it!" the Doctor exclaimed, interrupting Rose completely. Amy looked at the Doctor suspiciously as he continued to prod buttons and pull levers. Something was definitely wrong. "I know _exactly_ where to go!"

The TARDIS continued to shudder and Rose forgot her question as soon as a bell dinged and they realised that they had landed.

"Where are we?" Rose asked, looking at the door and back to the Doctor. The Doctor remained silent, gesturing to the door with his arm in an open invitation.

"What's out there?" Rose asked, grinning widely. The Doctor nodded his head and Rose grinned, opening the TARDIS door and exiting quickly. Amy quickly ran after her. If the Doctor had landed in the wrong place and the girl got hurt, she would kill him.

Instead of what she imagined, Amy found herself in a room. She looked around for anything exciting but all she could see was wooden walls and tiled floors.

"All of time and space and you bring us to a _room_!" Amy exclaimed, clicking her teeth as the Doctor exited the TARDIS and closed the door behind him. She could hear the Doctor scoff.

Rose had wandered further into the room, equally unimpressed. The Doctor walked over to a control panel and fiddled around with the sonic screwdriver.

Amy and Rose turned to see a metal grate rise. Behind the grate was a large glass window overlooking...

"Oh my god" Amy breathed out. Out in the expanse of space was the Earth. She placed a hand on the window in despair. Amy had seen Earth countless times on the TARDIS doorstep protected by the gravity bubble. Of all the sights and terrors she had seen over the course of her adventures with the Doctor, this was probably the most terrifying.

"You lot," The Doctor walked over to the shocked Amy and Rose. "You spend all your time thinking about dying,"

" _I've been dead for centuries!"_ Amy realised that was true as she recalled some of her first words upon stepping onto the Starship UK.

"Like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids…but you never take the time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive. This is the year 5.5/apple/26, five billion years in your future"

"It seems so far away…" Rose muttered, staring at the Earth with fixated, glazed eyes.

"This is the day- hold on…" he checked his watch.

Amy looked at him briefly before returning to looking out the window and gasped. A mass cloud of gas broke away from the sun and exploded. The light was blindingly bright and Amy was impressed they had the equipment to prevent them from burning to a crisp. Then again, this was five billion years in her future.

"This is the day the sun expands" The Doctor said. Rose turned to look at him in shock and the Doctor met her stare. "Welcome to the end of the world"

Amy looked at the Earth longingly. While she knew the humans had survived and branched off into the universe, she still felt a sense of depression wash over her as she looked at the dying Earth.

"I can't believe this is real…." Amy whispered. Rose nodded in agreement.

"Come on, you two" the Doctor called out suddenly, awkward from the human emotions. "Time to go explore!"

* * *

 _Shuttles 5 and 6 are now docking. Guests are reminded that platform 1 forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth death scheduled for 15:39, followed by drinks in the Manchester suite._

* * *

"So when it says guests, does that mean people?" Rose asked,turning to look at the Doctor as they walked down a corridor.

"Depends on what you mean by people" the Doctor replied.

"I mean _people_ …what do you mean?"

"Aliens" Amy quickly answered. The Doctor and Rose turned to look at her and Amy mentally kicked herself. "What? This far into the future, they must have contact with aliens"

"So what are they doing on board this spaceship? What's it all for?" Rose said, steering the conversation from Amy, who was being stared at suspiciously by the Doctor. The three rounded a corner and approached a sealed door.

"It's not really a spaceship" the Doctor explained as he worked on opening the sealed door with his sonic. "More like an observation deck. The great and good are gathering to watch the planet burn"

"What for?" Rose asked, sounding offended. Amy shared her feelings as she resorted to scowling at the door.

"Fun!"

"They must have a _lot_ of time on their hands" Amy muttered.

"Mind you," the Doctor continued. "When I said the great and the good, I mean the _rich_ "

"That just proves my point!" an exasperated Amy yelled as she threw her arms in the air dramatically. The Doctor looked at her wearily as they made their way to another window.

"Hold on, they did this once on 'Newsround Extra'" Rose frowned. "The sun expanding takes hundreds of years"

"Millions! But the planet's now property of the National Trust"

"Typical" Amy giggled. Rose gave her a small smile before shifting her attention back to the Doctor.

"See down there? Gravity satellites. That's holding back the sun"

"It looks the same" Amy noted. "How come the plates haven't shifted yet?"

"Yeah, I thought the plates just sort of…shift around" Rose added.

"They did, but the trust shifted them back" the Doctor explained. He then pointed down at the burning planet below. "That's a classic Earth! But now the money's run out, nature takes over"

"How long has it got?" Rose whispered as she looked down at the planet with sad eyes. The Doctor consulted his watch before addressing Rose.

"About half an hour and the planet gets roasted!" he exclaimed. Amy looked at him with narrow eyes.

"Are you enjoying this?"

"I don't know what you're talking about" the Doctor interjected but Amy could see the humour dancing in his eyes.

"Is that why we're here?" Rose asked, looking at the Doctor with hopeful eyes. "I mean- is that what you do? Jump in at the last minute and save the Earth?"

"I'm not saving it, times up"

"But what about all the people?"

"It's empty! They're all gone, all left"

Rose paused at that, looking at the window, deep in thought. "I guess it's just us Amy"

"Yeah…" Amy whispered.

"Who the hell are you?" the three turned to see a blue man in golden robes staring at them in shock.

"Oh that's nice! Thanks!" the Doctor bit sarcastically. The man approached them frantically.

"But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone! The guests have disembarked! They're on their way any second-"

"That's me! I'm a guest, look!" The Doctor interrupted, pulling out the psychic paper and all but shoving it into the man's face. "I'm the Doctor. This is Rose Tyler and Amy-"

The Doctor stopped and turned to look at Amy with curious eyes. Right, Amy never told him what her surname was.

"Pond" Amy finished for him with a smile.

"The Doctor, plus two! Amy Pond and Rose Tyler!" the Doctor declared. "Is that all right?"

"Well, obviously" the man looked flustered with his accusation and straightened his posture. "Apologies…et cetera. If you're on board, we better start"

The man walked away from the grinning Doctor and Amy and shocked Rose.

"He's _blue_ " Rose pointed out. The Doctor just fixed her with a grin.

"Yeah!" the Doctor grinned.

"Kay…" Rose shook her head. Amy frowned, wondering if the girl was coping with the aliens.

"Rose, are you-"

" _We have in attendance, the Doctor, Rose Tyler and Amy Pond. Thank you! All staff to their positions_ "

To Amy's amusement, small blue people started to run around the room frantically while the steward yelled instructions at them.

" _And now, may I introduce the next honoured guests, representing the forest of Cheem, we have trees! Specifically Jabe, Lute and Coffa"_

Amy's jaw dropped. The steward wasn't joking when he said they were trees.

" _There will be an exchange of gifts to represent peace. If you could keep the room circulating thank you…"_

Amy watched as the tree people progressed further into the room. The leader of the trio, Jabe, was dressed in a red and gold dress that shone in the fluorescent light.

" _Next from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, the Moxx of Balhoon"_

Amy tilted her head as a small blue man in a portable throne entered the room. He had a big forehead and even bigger breasts.

" _And next, from financial family seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme"_

A chill ran through Amy's spine as she saw the four figures enter the room with long, black cloaks. They reminded far too much of the headless monks.

" _The inventors of hyposlip travel systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen, thank you"_

Amy wasn't quite sure what the Hop Pyleen brothers were supposed to be. On one hand, they looked like lizards but they also looked like dinosaurs too.

" _Cal Sparkplug"_ Amy had never heard of him but she watched as he walked into the room with his partner. They both walked into the room with large hooded cloaks and, as a curious Amy peered down to check, cybernetic face masks with what she guessed was special air exuding as a by-product.

" _Mr and Mrs Pakoo_ " Amy watched in awe as two avian humanoids who resembled vultures strolled into the room.

Amy faintly heard the Steward call out another race but was distracted as the tree people walked up to them.

"A gift of peace" the female tree announced as she turned to one of her fellow trees. "I bring you a cutting of my grandfather"

Amy wrinkled her nose and rolled her eyes as the Doctor took the plant delicately.

"Thank you!" he said as he shoved the plant into Rose's hand. "Yes, gifts…um…"

Amy watched in amusement as the Doctor began checking his pockets in search of a last minute gift. She remembered the one time when he had fished a carnivorous medallion from his pockets as a gift for one of her birthdays.

"I give you in return, air from my lungs" he then breathed gently on the female tree. Amy watched in confusion as she seemed to inhale a little. Then it hit her. Trees absorbed carbon dioxide and released Oxygen as a result.

"How… _intimate_ " she said, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow at him.

"There's more where that came from" the Doctor smirked. Rose and Amy's eye shot straight up as they looked at him in surprise. Since when did the Doctor flirt openly?

"I bet there is" the tree responded. Amy and Rose turned to look at her awkwardly as she started to walk away.

"You just flirted with a tree" Rose pointed out. The Doctor shrugged at her.

"That'll make some interesting babies!" Amy joked, wiggling her eyebrows. Rose giggled and the Doctor rolled his eyes.

" _Sponsor of the main event, the face of Boe!"_ Amy watched in amazement as an enormous head in a jar rolled into the room.

Amy turned her attention to the approaching Moxx of Balhoon.

"The Moxx of Balhoon!" the Doctor greeted with a grin.

"My felicitations on this historical happenstance I give you the gift of bodily saliva"

Amy jumped backwards as the blue alien spat directly into her eye. That was the second time in a day something spat something at her. Using the sleeve of her coat to wipe away the saliva, she turned to see Rose doing the same.

The two shared an annoyed look while the Doctor laughed. While the Moxx retreated to spit on other people, the Adherents of the Repeated Meme approached them. Amy leaned away as much as she could.

"Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme, I bring you air from my lungs" the Doctor blew onto the aliens gently as he did to the tree woman.

"A gift of peace in all good faith" the voice sent a chill down Amy's spine. If the headless monks spoke, she wondered if they would sound like this. The creepy alien handed the Doctor a circular ball, which he handed over to Amy.

" _From the esteemed Dragon cluster, we have Hunter Magma!"_ the three looked up at the door as a dashing man with straight combed, parted to the side black hair and calculating, blue eyes. He walked into the room waving at everybody with a grin, winking at Amy, who raised both eyebrows.

" _And last but not least, our very special guest,"_ everybody silenced as they turned towards the steward. " _Ladies and gentlemen, trees and multiforms, Consider the dying Earth below. In memory of the dying world, we call forth the last human!"_

Amy watched in disgust as the doors slid open and a sideways trampoline wheeled in with two men in white safety hazard suits.

" _The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen!"_

"Oh no don't stare" Cassandra gushed. "Oh, I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference! Look how thin I am!"

Amy ignored the rest of the woman's rant as she leaned towards the Doctor. "How could _she_ be the last human?"

"She is! Well, the last human born on Earth anyway" the Doctor explained. Amy nodded in understanding and turned to see Rose staring at Cassandra in shock.

Her consorts walked up to her and sprayed her with something. Cassandra sighed. "Truly, I am the last human"

Amy could see Rose slowly walked around Cassandra. The Doctor was watching her as she studied the back of Cassandra. Amy tuned back into the rambling skin as tears started leaking from her eyes. Her consorts pulled out a tissue and began wiping them away.

"No tears, I'm sorry, but behold! I bring gifts from the Earth itself- the last ever Ostrich egg!"

Amy watched Rose cautiously. The girl looked curious but ill at the same time. She was pretty good at schooling her emotions.

"Legend says it had a wingspan of _fifty_ feet and blew fires from its nostrils!" Cassandra announced dramatically. Amy raised an eyebrow at the woman's declaration. "Or was that my third husband?"

The Doctor was the only one who laughed at Cassandra's joke.

"And here," Cassandra continued as her men dragged something into the room. "According to archives, this was called an "IPod"

Amy rolled her eyes when she realised they had pulled in a jukebox. "It stores classical music from humanities greatest composers. Play on!"

Amy laughed when the music started playing and filled the room.

"Sure, I'll believe that" Amy snickered as ' _Tainted Love'_ started to fill the room. She straightened when Hunter Magma approached them.

"Good day!" the man grinned charmingly. The Doctor didn't answer, still staring at Rose cautiously. Amy rolled her eyes and answered for him with a smile.

"Hello"

"Hunter Magma, pleasure to meet you" the man said as he held out his arm for Amy to shook. Amy shook it with a smile.

"Amy Pond, likewise"

Hunter chuckled. "Tell me Amy, what's a fine woman like you doing on a dreary second hand platform like this?"

"Oh, you know, just visiting" Amy sighed dramatically before addressing one issue. "And for the record, Hunter, I'm married"

"A terrible shame" the man seemed deterred and slightly annoyed before he returned to smiling.

The Doctor started to walk for the door and Amy noticed Rose had retreated from the alien filled area. She cursed herself for her stupidity. _Of course_ Rose would be freaking out.

"If you'll excuse me, Hunter" Amy said politely. The man nodded and gave Amy a kiss on her hand. Amy resisted the urge to roll her eyes and forced a smile to her face before she ran over to the confused Doctor who had been approached by Jabe.

* * *

 **A/N:** Amy's not having nonsense from charismatic charmers! Her heart already belongs to Rory, for god's sake! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter because next chapter is going to be shorter but expect a huge shift in the relationship between two characters and you're going to get an answer to a question. As for the original character Hunter Magma, think of Colin O'Donogue so you have a better image of his facial features.

 **Besani:** Girl power, indeed! I'll try to keep up the good work too. Sorry to disappoint, but there's no more sassy plastic in this story ;3

 **MargieMe:** I won't spoil anything about Rory but I can tell you Amy still has her heart set on finding him. I love the centurion too! The mystery woman and the masked man will all come into play sooner or later. I actually didn't intend for the sisterly relationship between the two, but now I'm sticking with it! So many questions! Hopefully they'll be answered for you.


	5. Alone

_Alone_

* * *

Amy approached the Doctor who promptly exited the room. Brushing past Jabe who was arguing with her portable tablet, Amy caught up to him.

"Where's Rose?"

"I don't know, I'm looking for her right now" he replied bluntly.

Amy rolled her eyes but followed him as they looked around for the blonde teenager in relative silence. She would sometimes the Doctor sparing her strange glances and would look straight ahead when she turned to question him.

The pair searched two rooms. Both were empty.

"Let's try this one" Amy pointed to a door to their left. The Doctor nodded briefly and they opened the door to find they had walked in on an _intimate_ moment between Mr and Mrs Pakoo.

"Oh…" a blushing Amy flushed. The two vultures stared at the two with annoyed, beady eyes.

"Hello!" the Doctor waved obliviously. Embarrassed and blushing furiously, Amy quickly swatted the Doctor's hand away and pushed him out the door. The Doctor looked at her annoyed.

"What did you do that for?"

"I'll explain later," Amy waved her hand dismissively. "Let's go find Rose"

The Doctor looked at her in that strange manner again and Amy sighed.

"What?" she asked.

"What?" he looked at her confusedly.

"Why do you keep looking at me strangely?" Amy finally asked. The Doctor continued to look at her, clearly confused.

"What makes you think something's wrong?"

Amy raised her index finger. "Well, you're always looking at me strangely, you asked _Rose_ where she wanted to go and when she tried to ask why I didn't get a turn, you interrupted her and you changed the topic."

The Doctor's gaze darkened before he turned and started to walk down the hall. Amy started at him incredulously.

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"Hey!" Amy yelled, stopping the Doctor dead in his tracks. "I'm talking here"

Amy could see the Doctor clench his jaw but she was not ready to give up this moment.

"Don't even try to deny it Doctor because I know for a fact Rose is suspicious as well"

The Doctor refused to look at her and Amy felt her temper boil. "Are you going to explain yourself?"

"I don't know what you-"

"Stop lying!" Amy yelled at him, cutting him off. "So are you going to tell me the real reason or not?"

The Doctor whipped around, staring at her darkly. "So you want to know the reason?"

"Yes!" Amy yelled.

"The real reason I keep looking at you strangely?"

"Yes!" Amy cried out indignantly.

The Doctor chuckled darkly as he pulled out his sonic and started buzzing it over Amy's body. Amy swatted it out of her face angrily.

"I asked you for a reason!"

"Where are you really from, Amy?" the Doctor asked and Amy faltered. A cold feeling gripped at her heart as she realised the implications of that question.

"I don't know what you mean…."

"Oh?" the Doctor asked mockingly as he advanced on her. Amy didn't flinch, determined to stand her ground. "Then why are you laced with artron _and_ temporal energy?"

"What are you talking about?" it was Amy's turned to be confused. She knew what temporal energy was, it was the way angels fed on their victim's lives. "What's artron energy?"

"Background radiation soaked up from travelling through the Time Vortex"

Amy felt like she had been hit by a truck. Stiffening, she looked at the Doctor incredulously. "What are you saying Doctor? I've travelled in time?"

The Doctor nodded and Amy shook her head in what she hoped was a believable manner.

"If that's the case, how come I found your graduation picture dated for 2006?"

"What?"

"I found your graduation photo after saving you in the shop"

Amy froze. She knew that that Doctor knew she wasn't from Rose's time. She hung her head, defeated. She knew the enormous reservoir of artron energy was from travelling with the Doctor for over a decade.

"You're a mystery, Amy Pond" the Doctor stated. "And I intend to solve this mystery"

Amy's head shot up as she realised what he said.

"Is that why you invited me aboard?" she whispered. "So you could run tests on me like a lab rat?"

"In a manner of speaking" he replied coolly. Amy flinched at the lack of emotion in the Doctor's voice.

"Why couldn't you have left me in 2005 then?"

"I couldn't just leave you to run around when you're drenched in artron and temporal energy in a time period you don't even belong in"

"So you would've taken me either way to be your _guinea pig_ " Amy spat.

"Yes"

Amy looked at him incredulously. "You don't trust me"

"Hardly even know you!" he bit coldly. Amy flinched as she could practically feel the hurt in her eyes.

While her Doctor had also invited her for ulterior motives, he was still friendly towards her and became her best friend. This Doctor was just interested in his experiment to quell his insatiable curiosity.

"You really are an alien"

"Get used to it" the Doctor rolled his eyes.

Amy chewed the inside of her lip to refrain from lashing out at the Doctor. She knew he probably meant well and he clearly didn't want to leave her in the wrong time period but he was so unemotional and alien that she hardly recognised him.

She bowed her head, quietly accepting that the warm, friendly, tender relationship she shared with her Doctor was over. This Doctor was too cold and prickly to everyone. The pain cut deep and coursed her entire body.

"I'm going to find Rose" she whispered, her voice thick with tears. She pushed past him and started walking down the corridor with balled fists and a few stray strands of tears running down her face.

For the first time since Amelia Pond joined this regeneration of the Doctor aboard the TARDIS for adventures in time and space, she felt truly alone.

* * *

 **A/N:** So that's it! I hope you enjoy the twist in this mini chapter. I'm sorry it's so short but I really wanted this scene to be its separate thing. Here's to hoping nobody was too alienated with the path I went down regarding Amy and the Ninth Doctor's relationship! The events of this chapter will feature prominently in the future of this Fanfiction, just a heads up.

 **Aka-Baka Hoshi:** Thank you! Yes, not being trapped in New York is always a good thing!

 **Notwritten:** I'm glad it was at least likeable for you!


	6. Charmer

_Charmer_

* * *

" _Earth Death in 25 minutes. Earth Death in 25 minutes"_

* * *

"Thanks for the notice!"

An annoyed Amy stormed through the hallway. Her encounter with the Doctor was still fresh in her mind and she was angry with how he treated her. Shoving the stinging memory into the back of her mind, she focused on finding Rose. She stumbled across another door and decided to check if Rose was in there.

Opening the door, she was quite surprise by what she saw.

"Hello, my names Rose. That's a sort of plant, we might be related!

The girl paused and clenched her jaw in annoyance. "...I'm talking to a twig!"

Amy giggled and the teenager girl turned to look at her in shock. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough" Amy replied between her giggles, grinning at the girl. Rose scowled at first, looking at Amy with accusatory eyes before warming up and grinning as well. She patted the ground besides her, motioning for Amy to sit next to her. Amy obliged to the girl's request and sat next to her.

The two sat in companionable silence as they both stared at the expanse of space through the glass.

"So…" Rose started, not taking her eyes off the glass. Amy turned to look at her. "Who would've thought I'd go from working in a shop and living with my mother to this…the end of the world"

Amy didn't know what to do so she chose to nod. Rose looked like she was about to tear up but she coughed and turned to look at Amy with a sad smile. "What about you? I mean, what were you doing before all this?"

Amy paused. She was travelling through the Doctor's past. She wasn't entirely sure how much she could tell the girl before she changed something major in the timelines.

"Well…" she coughed. "I was…travelling with my friend and my husband"

"Travelling, really?" Rose grinned, her tongue poking between her teeth. "Where'd you travel?"

"All around! It was amazing…every moment of it was amazing" Amy sighed wistfully, closing her eyes imagining she was still there. "Then it all came to an end and I ended up in the shop"

"What do you mean 'ended up'? You didn't work there" Rose frowned. Amy froze when she realised her slip up.

" _Rose? Are you in there?"_

Amy scowled. She did not want to deal with this straight after their argument. She could see Rose scowling as well. The Doctor trotted into the room and sat on the opposite side of them with a big grin, avoiding look at Amy as much as he could, which Amy had no problem with.

"Aye, aye, what do you think then?"

"Great!" Rose exclaimed, smiling uncertainly at the Doctor. "Yeah, fine once you get past the… _slightly psychic_ paper"

The Doctor's grin widened and not for the first time, Amy cursed his inability to comprehend human emotions.

"They're just so _alien_ " Rose grimaced and the Doctor looked at her inquisitively. Amy coughed awkwardly. This was not going to end well for any of them. "The aliens are so alien…you look at them…and they're alien"

"Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South" Amy wondered if she could shuffle towards and out the door before the miniscule room turned into a nuclear warzone.

"You know what? I think I'm going to go find something to eat" she quickly called out, jumping to her feet and trying to run to the door as surreptitiously as possible.

"Where are you from?"

Amy stiffened as soon as the words left Rose's lips. Turning slowly, she could see the Doctor's gaze darken as he started to fidget uncomfortably.

"All over the place"

"I bet" Amy muttered and the Doctor shot her a dirty look.

"They all speak English…" Rose pointed out, confused. The Doctor calmed down and grinned at her.

"No, you just hear English!" he explained. He saw Rose's confused look and elaborated further. "It's a gift of the TARDIS, telepathic field. It gets inside you head and translates"

"It's inside my brain?" Rose questioned, clearly aggravated. Amy cursed the Doctor for his lack of social grace.

"Well, in a good way" the Doctor replied, sounding unsure from Rose's disbelieving look and Amy's attempts to leave the room.

"You're machine gets inside my head? It gets inside my head and you didn't even ask?" a furious Rose questioned.

The Doctor frowned. "I didn't think of it like that"

"No!" Rose hissed. "You were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South! Who are you then Doctor? What are you called and what sort of alien are you?"

"I'm just the Doctor" he muttered looking away from Rose and staring out the window with heavy eyes.

Amy head heard enough. She looked at the arguing pair one last time before she shot straight out of the door.

* * *

Five minutes later, Amy was really starting to regret her decision to leave the Doctor and Rose.

She stood awkwardly in the corner, watching aliens converse with each other. It wasn't the first time she had been in a situation like this but she usually had the Doctor, Rory or River close by to talk to. Her new travelling companions were currently arguing heatedly which was understandable; this regeneration of the Doctor was very facetious.

" _Hello, Mrs Williams"_

Amy jumped at the unexpected face and turned to see the Face of Boe right behind her. She furrowed her eyebrows, cursing herself for being so distracted.

"Uh…hello"

The Face of Boe chuckled and Amy realised that it was a telepathic being.

" _So far away from home…"_ The Face of Boe mused.

"I'm sorry?"

" _You, Amelia Williams, are so far away from home"_

"Well, yeah I guess-" Amy paused, looking at the Face of Boe suspiciously, a sense of dread overcoming her. "How do you know that name…that wasn't how I was introduced, how do you know that?"

A faint lullaby filled Amy's head. The melody was soft and soothing, yet Amy still felt on edge. There was something about the Face of Boe that unnerved her and she didn't know what.

" _The time for answers hasn't come, Mrs Williams"_ the face hummed. " _Time and patience are two things you're very good at, I'm sure you can wait for a while longer"_

"Do you know me?" Amy asked, ignoring what the giant overbearing face said. "I mean, are you part of my future?"

" _Very good"_

"Well, I have some experience with out of sync encounters…"

"Ah, miss Pond!" A new voice called out to her. Amy turned to see the charming man from earlier. She racked her brain until she recalled his name was Hunter Magma.

"Yes?" Amy asked, annoyed at the unwanted company. Hunter Magma seemed oblivious to Amy's glare and simply grinned at her.

"You seem to be on your own, what happened to your husband?"

Amy was confused for a second before she realised he was talking about the Doctor. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Oh no, he wasn't my husband! He's just a friend"

The man grinned, seemingly pleased. "So your husband is not with you attending this event?"

Amy frowned, looking down resignedly. "No"

Hunter Magma's grin only widened. "May I have the pleasure of accompanying you through Platform One?"

Amy's head shot up. Her eyes widened in alarm. "I'm married!"

"That's never stopped anyone before" Hunter winked and Amy blushed. The man was dashing and handsome, but she was not going to cheat on Rory.

"No!" she said, waving her arms frantically. Hunter just looked at her with a raised eyebrow and smirk.

"Oh?"

"I'm married, I have a child and I'm not in the mood to cheat on my husband so-"

"Cheat?" Hunter Magma laughed good-naturedly and grinned again. "A little bit of flirting never hurt anyone"

Amy cringed inside. Normally she would flirt with good looking men to tease Rory, but he was gone and she missed him too much to flirt with anyone. "You're right, it didn't, but I'm not in the mood to flirt right now"

Hunter Magma looked like he wanted to talk more but he finally noticed the Face of Boe and his whole demeanour shifted. His postured straightened and his eyes darkened. He gritted his teeth and shifted on the spot. Amy raised an eyebrow at his actions.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"The face of Boe" Hunter Magma said, ignoring Amy completely. Amy looked between the two nervously, wondering if there was going to be an argument.

"Oh, do you know him?"

"We knew each other very well, but not yet" Hunter Magma said. Amy was confused but nodded in response. The face of Boe looked amused, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Hunter, as if he knew the reason they knew each other.

" _It is a pleasure to, not yet at least, meet you"_

"I'm sure" Hunter Magma said through gritted teeth. Amy was getting a headache from all the different tenses. Time travel was so annoying sometimes, people would occasionally speak in different tenses and verbs.

"Thick as thieves you are" Amy said, rolling her eyes at the tension.

Suddenly the room started to shake violently. It was for a few seconds but it caught Amy by surprise. She stumbled and grabbed Hunter's arm as support to try and avoid falling over.

"What was that?" she asked. Hunter Magma looked as confused as she was while the face of Boe just sat there with calmly. Amy wondered if he could contort his face at all. "Let me rephrase that, was that meant to happen?"

"No" Hunter Magma and the face of Boe answered tersely. Amy gulped. This had all the signs of a Doctor disaster. She then noticed the aforementioned Doctor strolling through the doors with Rose, looking at the other aliens who were chatting in confusion.

"Well, my friends are here so I'm going to go"

" _Goodbye for now, Mrs Williams"_

"Yeah, later…" Amy said before running off. The Face of Boe's eyes twinkled while Hunter Magma nodded tersely, his eyes locked on the giant head.

Amy ran up to the Doctor and Rose. Rose grinned happily when she saw Amy running up to them while the Doctor glowered at her.

"There you are!" Rose exclaimed happily.

"Where did you run off to?" the Doctor asked, still glowering at her.

"Here, in case you haven't noticed" Amy bit back, glaring at him in return.

Rose shifted awkwardly, sensing the tension between the two and steered the conversation in a more docile direction. "So, what was that shaking Doctor?"

The Doctor stopped glaring at Amy and started to walk further into the room. "Whatever it was, that wasn't a gravity pocket," he walked towards a control board, quickly followed by Rose and Amy. "I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that"

Amy and Rose looked at each other nervously. "Not good then…"

The Doctor turned and focused his attention on something behind Amy. "What do you think Jabe?"

Amy and Rose turned to see the tree woman in the royal robes looking at them with big, curious eyes.

"Listen to these engines, they pitched up about thirty hertz, is that dodgy or what?"

Jabe shrugged and shook her head. "It's the sound of metal! It doesn't make any sense to me"

The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. "Where's the engine room?"

"I don't know…" Jabe answered and the Doctor slouched. "The maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, however, I could show you…and…your wives?" she motioned towards Amy and Rose, who both looked alarmed at the implications.

"They're not my wives" The Doctor confirmed. Amy nodded her head quickly in confirmation.

"Are they your partners?"

"No…"

"Concubines…?"

"Excuse me?!" Amy shrieked, blushing furiously. Jabe looked embarrassed for a second before she continued with her barrage of romantic associations.

"Prostitutes, then?"

"Now you crossed the line" Amy scowled. This woman was too inquisitive for her own good. Rose, however, looked angrier than Amy.

"Whatever we are, it has to be invisible, you mind?" Jabe just looked at Rose in confusion. Rose shook her head in exasperation before turning towards the Doctor.

"Tell you what, you two go and _pollinate_ , I'm going to catch up with family" she pointed at Cassandra who was chatting away obliviously. "Quick word with Michael Jackson over there"

"Don't start a fight!" the Doctor warned but Rose just grinned at him before looking at Amy expectantly.

"You gonna come with?"

"Nah," Amy waved her hand dismissively. "I'm going to make sure these two keep it PG"

Rose giggled, the Doctor rolled his eyes and Jabe just looked at her, most likely confused by the language barrier.

The Doctor turned towards Jabe with a grin, outstretching his arm. "I'm all yours"

"I want you home by midnight!" Rose called back teasingly. The Doctor looked at her exasperated as he left the room with Jabe. Amy turned back and waved at Rose before she left the room. Rose waved back at her.

* * *

 _Earth Death in 15 minutes._

 _Earth Death in 15 minutes._

* * *

Amy watched in fascination at the Doctor flirting. The only things she had seen him flirt with were River and aliens he thought were beautiful.

The three had made their way into a narrow corridor and had to walk in a single file. Pipes ran along the walls and smoke billowed out in certain parts. No doubt this was a maintenance duct.

"Who's in charge of Platform One, is there a captain or what?" the Doctor asked Jabe as they walked through the corridor.

"No, there's just the Steward and the staff, all the rest is run by the metal man"

"Metal man…?" Amy asked as he ducked to avoid hitting her head on a pipe. "You mean a computer?"

"Precisely" Jabe nodded.

"Well, who controls that?" a frowning Doctor asked. Jabe turned her attention back to him.

"The corporation," she explained. "They move Platform One from one artistic event to another"

"So there's no one from the corporation on board?" the Doctor asked after a moment of silence.

"They're not needed, this facility is purely automatic"

"Something tells me that's not such a good idea" Amy said as she caught up to the two aliens.

"It's the height of the Alpha class" Jabe shrugged. "Nothing can go wrong"

"You just jinxed us" Amy sighed. Jabe looked at her strangely.

"Unsinkable?" the Doctor asked sarcastically.

"If you like, the nautical metaphor is appropriate"

"Sounds just like an Earth ship, I should go visit one day" the Doctor mused.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you sink it" Amy snickered. The Doctor glared at her but Amy ignored him. Finally relenting from his glare, he turned back to Jabe.

"So what you're saying is that if we get in trouble, there's no one to help us out?"

Jabe frowned. "I'm afraid not"

"Fantastic!" The Doctor grinned.

"I don't understand, in what way is that fantastic?"

"I think he just likes to say the word" Amy pondered. Scuttling alerted Amy's attention to something else. She turned around to look for the source but all she saw were pipes.

"So tell me Jabe, what's a tree like you doing in a place like this?"

"You sound like Hunter Magma" Amy blushed at the man's attempts at flirting with her. She had to give him props for trying.

"Respect for the Earth" Jabe answered.

"Oh come on, everyone on this platform is worth _zillions_ " the Doctor scoffed.

"Well…perhaps it is a case of having to be seen on the right occasion" Jabe whispered it as if it was a secret, smiling softly.

"In case your share prices drop? I know you lot, you've got massive forests everywhere, roots everywhere, and there's always money in land"

"All the same, we respect the Earth as family" Jabe defended. "So many species evolved from that planet, mankind is only one, and I'm another"

"You're from the Earth?" Amy asked, surprised. Jabe nodded with a smile.

"Actually, my ancestors were transplanted from the planet down below and I'm a direct descendant of the tropical rainforest"

Amy was about to answer but she collided into Jabe. The Doctor had stopped and started working on a control panel.

"What about your ancestry Doctor?" Jabe asked, moving closer to him. "Perhaps you can tell a story or two, perhaps a man only enjoys trouble when there's nothing left"

Amy realised where this conversation was heading and promptly walked forward until she could be mistaken to be just out of earshot.

"I scanned you earlier the metal machine had trouble identifying your species, it refused to admit your existence" Amy realised why the Doctor had looked confused earlier and why Jabe was arguing with her handheld computer.

"Even when it named you, I wouldn't believe it but it was right…"

Amy noted the Doctor's silence and wondered how much grief had consumed him. She couldn't see what was happening unless she wanted to drop her façade.

"I know where you're from…" Jabe said delicately. "Forgive me for intruding but it's remarkable you even exist!" she breathed wistfully, in awe with the man in front of her. "I just want to saw…how sorry I am"

Amy felt like she had forgotten something during the escape from the Autons and Nestene Consciousness. She racked her brain in an effort to remember but the memory kept escaping her.

The Doctor suddenly ran past her and Amy caught a glimpse of a single tear rolling down his face. For the first time since arguing with this Doctor, Amy hurt seeing him in pain.

* * *

Rose walked into another hallway, still reeling from her conversation with the conceited Cassandra. Looking up, she could see the Adherents of the Repeated Meme turning a corner and smiled. Her smile faded when they blocked her path.

Suddenly one of the aliens raised its mechanical arm and punched her. Rose screamed before she hit her head on the ground and slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

 **A/N:** Here we go! I'm sorry this chapter came out a week later than scheduled; you'll have to blame that horrible thing called a social life! This chapter was intended to be extended but I decided to cut off with a cliffhanger!

Did anybody else see the series 9 trailer?! It was amazing! I'm so excited for series 9 you guys can't imagine the intensity!

 **Aka-Baka Hoshi:** I'm glad you understand the reasoning behind the argument. I was worried about how people would react!

 **Margie-me:** "Is he anything like Harkness?" Not that would be telling ;) I hoped this chapter answered your question and of why Amy was weary of him. Nine did come off as callous at times but that just adds to his charm! Don't worry, I have not forgotten about Amy's fiery and dark sides, they will be shown sooner or later

 **Notwritten:** Thanks! Promise to keep smiling!

 **Deathrosekitty:** Well, I hope you stick around to see how companions react to the Doctor and Rose's relationship

 **TimeturnerJasmy:** He is still fresh from the Time War so he will continue to make rash decisions and come off as conceited at times. Thank you! Glad to have you aboard!


	7. Premonition

_Premonition_

* * *

The Doctor led Amy and Jabe down another corridor before they entered a large room. Looking around, Amy soon realised they were in the engine room and whistled.

"This place is huge!" she exclaimed. Huge was an understatement. The room was colossal with three fans moving rhythmically to keep the room circulating and avoid the possibility of the platform overheating. There was only one narrow pathway and the rest just cut off into a large chasm.

"Is it me or is it a bit nippy?" he asked them. Amy nodded to show she agreed with him, albeit grudgingly. Every now and then, the heat would spike up before receding again. "Fair do's…though that's a great bit of air conditioning"

"Yeah, f _antastic_ " Amy quipped sarcastically. The Doctor glared at her before focusing his attention on Jabe. Amy bit her lip. She knew she was being difficult but she was annoyed at the Doctor for using her as a guinea pig _…again._

"Nice and old fashioned. Bet they call it _retro_ "

"What about you Jabe?" Amy turned to address the tree woman. "Are you okay with the heat spikes?"

"For now," Jabe sighed. "I just hope we don't have to stick around for me to burn"

"Gotcha!" the Doctor cried in success. Amy turned to see he had walked to a control panel and walked over to him. The panel door slid away and Amy peered in only to jump back when a mechanical spider jumped up and ran up the wall until it was out of their reach.

"What the hell?"

"What the hell is that?" the Doctor repeated, stepping closer as his curiosity got the better of him.

"Is it part of the 'retro'?" Jabe asked, taking a tentative step forward as well.

"I don't think so…" the Doctor replied as the spider started scuttling further along the wall. Jabe suddenly shot something that whipped the spider and sent it falling straight into the Doctor's palm.

"Hey! Nice Liana!" The Doctor complimented. Jabe nodded, looking pleased yet embarrassed.

"Thank you, we're not supposed to show them in public" Jabe responded and Amy realised the tree woman must have been doing the tree equivalent of blushing.

"Don't worry, we'll keep it secret" Amy smiled and Jabe shot her a grateful look. The two then shifted their attention back to the strange spider that the Doctor was fiddling around with.

"Now then, who's been bringing their pets on board?"

Amy took the spider from the Doctor's hand and examined it, much to his dismay. Turning it over, she quickly remembered that the spider was metal and recalled something from earlier in the day. "The Repeated Meme handed out metal balls, didn't they?"

"That's right, I remember receiving one of my own" Jabe confirmed and the Doctor's frown deepened.

"What does it do?" Jabe asked, pointing at the spider in Amy's hand. The Doctor's gaze darkened and Amy was worried she knew the answer.

"Sabotage" he muttered darkly and the temperature in the room suddenly declined. A chill ran through Amy's spine and she tried not to show it.

 _Earth Death in 10 minutes. Earth Death in 10 minutes._

Amy suddenly gasped as a searing pain shot through her temples. Her hands flew to the throbbing in an attempt to soothe the pain.

 _She could make out voices, but they were too hushed for her to properly decipher it._

" _Earth Death in 2 minutes"_

 _Suddenly looking up, she was in a room. Looking around, she realised she was still on the Platform. Her eyes drifted to the Face of Boe in the corner and she gasped when she saw his tank was smashed and a gunshot was prominent right between his eyes where his brain must have been because blood was oozing out of that spot._

"AMY!" the Doctor yelled. Amy jerked awake and crashed backwards into Jabe. She was back in the engine room.

"Sorry, sorry," Amy stumbled over her words. "I just had a headache, that's all"

The Doctor looked at her suspiciously but nodded.

"The temperatures about to rocket!" he exclaimed, looking between the other two people present. "Come on!"

With that, the three ran out the room to avoid being burnt to a crisp.

* * *

They strolled through a corridor until Amy suddenly collided with the Doctor's back.

"Ow! What gives?!" she hissed, rubbing her head. Alerted by Jabe's gasp, Amy peered over the Doctor's shoulder and saw smoke billowing out of a locked room.

"What's in there?" she asked but the Doctor and Jabe were already running. Amy felt dread envelop her and she tore after them. As she got closer she realised the little blue staff from earlier were flailing frantically at the door.

"Come on, get back!" the Doctor ordered as he pulled out his sonic. Amy wrapped her coat sleeve over her nose to stop herself from inhaling the smoke.

" _Sun filter rising, sun filter rising"_ the monotone voice of the computer echoed and the horrible feeling in the pit of Amy's stomach resurfaced.

"Was the Steward in there?" Jabe asked, looking nauseous herself. Well, as nauseous as a tree could look.

"You can _smell_ him" the Doctor replied and Amy pulled a face. This wasn't the first time she inhaled the flesh of a deceased alien. "Hold on…there's another sun filter programmed to descend"

With that, the Doctor ran off with Amy right behind him. They ran through multiple hallways until they reached another locked door which had smoke billowing out from the top. The Doctor immediately pulled out his sonic screwdriver and began working frantically to try and raise the sun filter.

"Is anyone in there?!" Amy yelled, praying that the room was empty and they had nothing to worry about.

" _Let me out! Amy, let me out!"_ Amy recognised the voice and immediately felt a cold sensation grip at her heart.

"Oh, well, it would be her!"

Amy turned to face the Doctor with a steely gaze.

"Get her out!"

"Hold on, give me two ticks" he mumbled as he continued working.

" _Open the door!"_

"There!" the Doctor cried triumphantly.

" _Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."_

Amy blew a breath of relief. She faintly heard Rose do the same.

" _Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending_ "

Amy's eyes shot towards the Doctor's. He looked shocked and nervous.

"Oh, this is just what we need! The computer's getting clever!"

" _Well, stop mucking about_!" Amy heard Rose yell from the other side of the door.

"I'm not mucking about!" the Doctor cried indignantly. "It's fighting back!"

"Well, incapacitate it or something!" Amy yelled desperately. The Doctor pulled off the panel and started fiddling with the mesh of wires with the sonic.

" _Doctor, open the door!"_

"Hang on!" an annoyed Doctor yelled as he continued scanning the wires.

" _The lock's melted!"_ Rose's muffled voice called out and Amy grew more worried. The Doctor grew frustrated and injected the screwdriver into the wires and Amy flinched when a large spark shot out of the wires.

" _Sun filter rising, sun filter rising"_

Amy held her breath, waiting for a few minutes. When the sun filter stayed up, she blew out another breath of relief and rested her head on the cool door. The Doctor looked relieved and pleased with himself.

Amy tried to open the door with the controls. When that failed, she tried pushing the door and growled when that failed as well.

"Rose, I can't open the door!"

"Alright, Rose, stay there okay? We can't open the doors! Don't move!" the Doctor informed Rose before running off.

" _Where am I gonna go, Ipswich?!"_

"I was thinking Leeds!" Amy teased before running to catch up with the Doctor.

* * *

 _Earth Death in 5 minutes_

 _Earth Death in 5 minutes_

* * *

When Amy walked into the Manchester suite with the Doctor, she realised that they had entered the heart of the chaos. Hysterical hubbub circulated around the room as the aliens began to panic over the unfolding events. Jabe desperately tried to calm them, her two fellow trees by her side.

"Summon the Steward!" the Moxx of Balhoon ordered. The Doctor walked up to Jabe and plucked the spider out of her hands.

"I'm afraid the Steward is dead" a pained Jabe informed the crowd. Shocked gasps rang throughout the room before everybody started looking at each other suspiciously. The only calm aliens in the room were the Adherents of the Repeated Meme.

"Who killed him?" the Moxx asked after a moment's silence.

"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe, he invited us!" Cassandra cried in an accusatory tone. Amy narrowed her eyes on the fleshy trampoline before noticing the Face of Boe and Hunter Magma were both missing. The uncomfortable feeling that something bad was going to happen resurfaced "Talk to the face, talk to the face!"

The Doctor caught on to Amy's glance and looked at Cassandra curiously.

"Easy way of finding out!" the Doctor exclaimed, capturing everyone's attention. "Someone bought a little pet on board, let's send him back to master!"

He placed the spider on the floor. Amy watched as the spider scuttled around the room before coming to a stop in front of Cassandra.

Amy noticed the skin's eyes dart around the room nervously before the spider whirred back to life and looked around the room, confused. Finally, it came to a stop in front of the black gowned group that gave Amy chills.

"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme" Cassandra gasped dramatically. " _J'accuse_!"

"Thanks for the French lesson!" Amy bit sarcastically. Cassandra shot her a dirty glare, which Amy reciprocated.

"That's all very well and really, kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it…" the Doctor's voice trailed off and caught everybody's attention again. He strolled over to the Repeated Meme.

Before Amy knew what was happened, one of the gowned figures attempted to attack the Doctor but the Time Lord managed to grab the hand before it could inflict any damage. Amy gasped when he tore the arm straight off. Tubes and wires were sticking out of the end and the alien recoiled as if it had been struck.

"It's a robot?" Amy gasped. Her gasp was mimicked by everybody else in the room, besides Cassandra.

"Partly," the Doctor explained. "A Repeated Meme is just an idea and that's all they are, an idea" he then ripped out a wire and all of the black gowned aliens collapsed on the ground. It was then that Amy realised that they had no face. "Remote controlled droids, nice little cover for the real troublemaker"

"Who is…?" Amy asked when the Doctor didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"Go on Jimbo!" the Doctor said encouragingly as he nudged the spider with his foot. "Go home!"

The spider appeared hesitant. Eventually, it made its way to Cassandra and everybody glared at the flesh. Cassandra, on the other hand, was glaring daggers at the Doctor.

"If looks could kill…" Amy muttered.

"I bet you were the School swot who never got kissed!" Cassandra hissed. The Doctor raised his eyebrows and Amy snorted. "At arms"

Cassandra's lackeys suddenly raised their canisters and pointed directly at them. Amy slowly took a few tentative steps backwards.

"What are you going to do, moisturise me?" the Doctor mocked, placing both his hands on his chest. Amy cursed his facetious ego for being so prominent.

"With acid" Cassandra replied gleefully. "Oh, it's too late anyway! My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts; tax free, past every code wall! I'm not just a pretty face you know"

"Thanks for that unneeded monologue" Amy snapped, rolling her eyes. "Besides, you'll die with the rest of us"

"She's right, that's a pretty stupid plan" the Doctor agreed.

"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with _myself_ as one of the victims; the compensation would have been enormous!"

"You're doing all this for money?" Amy spat, her anger flaring up. "Are you stupid or what?"

"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this?!" Cassandra hissed. "The flatness costs a fortune! I am the last human, Weary Traveller wannabe, _not you or that freaky little kid"_

"Why you little-"

"What? Who is this 'Weary Traveller'?" the Doctor asked, interrupting Amy.

"It's just an old nursery rhyme" Cassandra brushed off his question. "Some call her the Guardian of the Wolf while others call her the Weary Traveller"

"Enough of this, arrest her!" the Moxx yelled, followed by a chorus of agreements. Cassandra locked onto the blue alien immediately.

"Oh, shut it pixie! I've still got my final option"

 _Earth Death in 3 minutes_

Amy gasped as she remembered her vision. If it was real, it was happening now and she needed to stop it from happening. There was something about the Face of Boe that inclined her to help him.

She was torn away from her thoughts when an explosion sent her crashing into the Doctor, who steadied her. She watched helplessly as the guest's began to panic and Cassandra looked pleased with herself.

"Force fields gone with the planet about to explode" Cassandra informed the hysterical guests. "At least it'll be quick…just like my fifth husband" she giggled and Amy rolled her eyes. Why were the bad guy's always maniacs?

"Oh, shame on me! Bye, bye, darlings! Bye, bye, my darlings!" Cassandra trilled before she disappeared in a flash of blue energy with her cohorts.

" _Heat levels rising_ " the monotone computer warned.

"Reset the computer!" the Moxx quickly suggested.

"Only the Steward would know how" a nervous Jabe replied.

"No, we can do it by hand" the Doctor reminded her. "There must be a restore switch, Jabe, Amy, come on!"

"I can't!" Amy replied. The Doctor looked at her in surprise.

"What did you say?"

"I can't come with you, there's something else I need to do" she explained as best as she could. The Doctor continued to look at her as if she was thick.

"What could be more important than this?" the Doctor asked her. Amy grew increasingly agitated.

"I can't explain! I don't have much time!"

"I'm not letting you out of my sight" the Doctor scoffed. "You're drenched in energy, anything could happen-"

"Look!" Amy suddenly snapped, surprising the Doctor. "I don't care if you trust me or not, I have something I need to do and so do you. So why don't I just do what I need to do and you do what you need to do and then we'll both have saved lives, ok?!"

The Doctor looked stunned, as if he found newfound respect for the ginger haired woman in front of him. "Ok"

Amy sighed in relief. "Jabe, where's the Face of Boe's suite?"

"Well, it's just beyond mine" Before Jabe question Amy's motives, she had already run out the door.

"Right, you lot, just chill!" the Doctor exclaimed as he ran out the room with Jabe to finish their end of the situation.

* * *

Amy ran as fast as she could. She didn't know why, but she held a surprising amount of certainty that her vision was true. Running past Jabe's room, Amy remembered the murderer of the Face of Boe was armed. Bending down, she scooped up the pipe that fell out of the maintenance duct and continued running.

* * *

 _Earth Death in 2 minutes_

 _Earth Death in 2 minutes_

* * *

This spurred Amy to run faster. She finally reached the Face of Boe's suite and crashed through the door.

"Stop!" she yelled. The man jumped and looked at her in surprise, pointing his gun at her. Amy wasted no time and threw the pipe, watching as it knocked the gun out of his hand. She watched as his crystal blue eyes darkened in anger and annoyance.

"So I've been found out" Hunter Magma mused. "And by none other than you, Amy Pond"

* * *

 **A/N:** So I was intending to finish The End of the World in this chapter but I decided to cut it off here for cliffhanger reasons! Just to let you guys know that I made a new cover art for this story. It was practically the first time I used Photoshop in years so please excuse it if it was bad!

I've also added some development for the Doctor and Amy's relationship. It's still pretty unhealthy but at least he found a little respect for the feisty redhead. Tell me what you guys thought about certain parts of this chapter, especially the cliffhanger!

 **Aka-Baka-Hoshi:** I like to hold the belief that Rose AND River both have a place in his two hearts, one for each. That makes both sides happy! I'm glad you're excited about this story and I hope this cliffhanger!

 **Notwritten:** I promise to keep smiling!

 **Bwburke94:** I won't give anything away about the visions or the Trickster! As for Boe knowing Amy's allotted surname, there's a reason for that that I hope people will like.

 **Margie-me:** I don't know if you read these little sections, but I am not sorry for this cliffhanger because I am evil! I hope you liked the developments this chapter set out. Yes, I love that enigmatic Face as well, I'm pretty sure everybody does. As for Hunter Magma, you're going to receive your answer in the next chapter ;3


	8. The End of the World

_End of the world_

* * *

She watched as his crystal blue eyes darkened in anger and annoyance.

"So I've been found out" Hunter Magma mused. "And by none other than you, Amy Pond"

"What do you think you're doing?" Amy finally found herself able to ask. "You were just about to murder the Face of Boe!"

"Yes, I was there" Hunter Magma rolled his eyes and Amy sensed the dangerous aura the man was exuding. "I am, however, very curious about how you knew about my assassination attempt"

"Honestly?" Amy laughed breathlessly. "I have no clue"

"Curious" Hunter Magma looked at Amy with intense curiosity and hatred. "You don't appear to be lying"

Amy looked over at the Face of Boe. From what she could tell, the enigmatic alien was fast asleep. There was no pressing lull in the back of her head and the face itself was moving up and down as if it was breathing like a human did when they were asleep.

"So I answered your question, time for you to answer mine"

"Inquisitive" Hunter Magma chuckled as he began to circle around Amy predatorily. Amy took an uncertain step backwards. "Did you ever think to ask, Amy, why my full name is Hunter Magma?"

"No…" A confused Amy muttered, worried the man may have another weapon on him.

"Ask me"

"I'm sorry?" Amy looked at Hunter Magma incredulously.

"Ask me why my full name is Hunter Magma"

A pregnant pause filled the air, save for the Face of Boe's steady breathing and the scuffling of Hunter Magma's dress shoes scuffling over the linoleum tiles.

"Why is your full name Hunter Magma?"

"It's not"

* * *

The Doctor ran into the engine room with Jabe. To his horror, the fans were beating more frantically than before in an effort to keep the platform cool.

"Oh, and guess where the switch is" the Doctor sighed. He really wished situations like this were easier to avert.

Walking over to the control unit from earlier, he pulled on the lever and watched as the fans sluggishly slowed down. Letting go of the switch, he walked a few steps forward to find the fans increasing their pace.

The fans suddenly started to slow and the Doctor turned to see Jabe holding onto the lever tightly, giving him a look of pure determination.

"You can't, the heat's going to vent through this place" he said helplessly.

"I know!" she grinned at him and the Doctor felt guilt pour into him. Here was another person he was about to lead to his death. Just like Tamsin…and Cass.

"Jabe, you're made of wood!"

"Then stop wasting time" she said seriously before flashing him a grin. " _Time Lord_!"

Slowly, the Doctor reciprocated her grin before focusing his attention on the fans. He would have to work as quickly as possible.

* * *

 _Heat levels- rising…_

 _Heat levels rising…_

* * *

Rose could only watch in horror as the sun rays began to pierce the viewing glass. She gulped down a sob and tore off her jacket as the heat began to fill the room. Taking a deep breath, she fished her phone out of her pocket and dialled a number.

There was a few minutes of just ringing, and then…

" _Oh, what is it now?!"_ Rose heard her mother demand and allowed a smile to grace her terrified features. " _Two calls in one day, that's got to mean something!"_

"Mum?" Rose called out and was impressed she managed to keep her voice relatively steady.

" _Yes, what is it? Are you finally going to pay me back for the coffee table you destroyed?"_ Jackie snapped impatiently and Rose tried to muster a laugh, but it only came out as a choked sob.

This made Jackie pause her rant. " _Is everything alright, darling?"_

"You know I love you, don't you mum?" Rose asked her mother as tears rolled down her face at the thought of never seeing her mother again.

" _Of course I do, sweetheart!"_ Jackie cried out reassuringly. " _Rose, what's wrong? Are you ok?"_

"Just remember that, k?" Rose stuttered out. "Remember I'll always love you"

" _Rose, what's wrong? You can tell me sweetheart, you can tell me anything!"_

"I have to go" Rose whispered. "Love you mum"

Without another word, Rose hung up on Jackie Tyler and sobbed when she realised she may never hear the nagging of her mother ever again. After a few seconds, she wiped her tears away and waited for her death.

If she was going to die, she was going to die with some dignity.

* * *

 _Heat levels hazardous._

* * *

"What do you mean that's not your name?" Amy asked, genuinely confused. Hunter Magma only smirked at her.

"Oh come on, Miss Pond, you're far more intelligent than you make out to be!"

Amy felt realisation dawn on her. "Hunter isn't your first name, it's your occupation!"

"Correct!" he grinned sadistically at her.

"If you're first name isn't Hunter, then…"

"Freelance Hunter Kai Magma," Kai introduced himself properly, bowing in front of Amy mockingly before fixing a cold sneer at her. "At your service"

 _Heat level- Critical…_

 _Heat level- Critical…_

"I don't get it, why would you go after the Face of Boe of all things?" Amy asked, gesturing towards the sleeping face.

"Like I said, I'm a freelancer" Amy wrinkled her nose at the use of the word. She was never a big fan of hunters of poachers. "So I target the great and the bountiful for a living!"

"That's sick!" Amy spat.

"You're cute" Hunter Magma chuckled and Amy could've sworn sincerity flashed through his eyes briefly. "If it'll make you feel better, I'm not after the Face of Boe for the money"

"Then why are you after him, _Hunter_?"

"The Face of Boe is riddled with time energy, practically drenched!" Kai exclaimed and Amy's face suddenly blanched.

"What?"

"My equipment was confused for a while" he elaborated and Amy wondered just why he was telling her his plan again. "It seems this… _thing_ has had multiple deaths yet none at all. Almost as if he's an immortal wanderer"

"How is that possible?" Amy asked before coming to her senses and glaring at him. "Hang on, a _thing_? That's prejudice!"

Kai rolled his eyes. "Oh give me a break"

"We'll stop you" Amy vowed. "The Doctor and me, we're going to stop you and make sure you get arrested"

"Please, you know as well as I do that this platform will be destroyed before then"

"The Doctor will find a way to stop that" Amy said confidently. Even if he wasn't _her_ Doctor, she knew he wouldn't let innocent people die.

"You're putting belief in a man who took you along with him for experimental purposes?" Kai sneered and Amy looked at him, absolutely horrified.

"How do you know that?!" she hissed before another sinister thought washed over her. "Have you been stalking me?"

 _Planet explodes in 10…9…_

"Doesn't matter" Kai whispered. "This platform is going to be destroyed any second now"

 _8…7_

Amy fought the urge to shiver, the fear of death more prominent before. Still, she stood her ground to show Kai that he could not intimidate her. "Then we'll die together"

"Famous last word" Kai noted mockingly.

"How about you don't get sassy when we're about to die?"

 _6…5…4_

Kai's hand drifted towards his wrist and Amy realised that he had a vortex manipulator strapped on. She cursed Dorian for being such a proficient seller of alien technology.

"Might as well make my exit dramatic" Kai said with flair and Amy rolled her eyes.

 _3…2..._

Amy braced herself for the explosion. The gentle lullaby inside her head suddenly reappeared and soothed her nerves.

 _1._

She waited for the entire platform to explode. When nothing happened, she checked herself to make sure she was still in one piece.

"What…?" Kai murmured in confusion. Amy laughed, breathlessly at first. Her laughing increased in volume as the adrenaline left her body until she was laughing in Kai's face.

"I told you the Doctor would stop it!"

Kai's gaze darkened again. He raised his hand and whacked an unsuspecting Amy on the head. Amy screamed for a second before she hit her head on the ground, slipping into unconsciousness. The only comfort was the gentle lullaby still playing inside her head.

* * *

Rose slowly opened one eye to find she was still alive. Opening the other eye, she laughed breathlessly at the revelation. Scrambling on her feet, she turned around to find the damage on the door had been repaired and laughed again. Her first objective was to find the Doctor and Amy.

Walking into the Manchester suite, Rose was horrified by what she saw. Aliens were huddled together and whimpering over the traumatic events. The blonde teenager had to swallow a sob that threatened to erupt when she saw the Moxx of Balhoon's throne empty.

Seconds later, the Doctor walked into the room with a stride in his step. Rose fought the urge to quiver in his presence as he walked right past and went to the two male trees. She watched as he spoke to them in a hushed whisper and the two trees burst into tears a few seconds later. Rose mournfully came to the conclusion that Jabe was dead.

"Are you okay?" Rose finally managed to ask as the Doctor walked up to her.

"Oh yeah, I'm fantastic" he said darkly. "So fantastic that I'm full of ideas, in fact, I'm bristling with them!"

"I'm sorry about Jabe…"

"Don't be" the Doctor said sharply, making Rose flinch. "Idea number one: teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two: this feed must be hidden nearby"

With that, the Doctor walked up to the Ostrich egg and smashed it open, revealing a small handheld device that must have been the teleport feed.

"Idea number three: if you're as clever as me, then a teleport feed can be reversed"

Without another word, the Doctor twirled the feed around and soon Rose could hear Cassandra's voice fill the air, apparently talking to somebody. She slowly came into view and the bitchy trampoline looked at them with morbid realisation.

"Oh…"

"The last human" the Doctor spat angrily, disgusted with the existence of Cassandra.

"So, you passed my test," the trampoline stuttered. "Bravo! That makes you eligible to join t-the….human club!"

"People have _died_ Cassandra, you murdered them" the Doctor interrupted bluntly, his expression cold and hateful.

"That depends on your definition of 'people' and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for _centuries!"_ Cassandra sighed, as if she was pleased with herself. "Take me to court then, Doctor! Watch me smile, and cry, and flutter…"

"And creak?" the Doctor suggested. Rose frowned. Listening closer, she could hear creaking.

"What?" Cassandra hadn't seemed noticed, looking at the Doctor curiously.

"Creak! You're creaking" the Doctor repeated himself. Cassandra seemed to finally have noticed as she started to panic hysterically.

"I'm drying out!" she cried in horror. "Moisturise me, moisturise me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!"

Rose watched in horror as Cassandra started to turn red and blotchy.

"You raised the temperature" the Doctor replied with a hint of dark humour laced in his voice.

"Have pity!" Cassandra cried. "Moisturise me! Oh, Doctor!"

"Help her!" Rose heard herself call out. Even if the fleshy trampoline had caused deaths today didn't mean the Doctor should grant her the same punishment. That made him as bad as her.

"Everything has its time…and everything dies" he spat as he stared at Cassandra with sad but furious eyes.

"I'm too…young!" Cassandra cried before exploding outwards. Rose ducked to avoid the flesh that flew in her direction.

The Doctor started to walk away, but Rose bought his attention to another matter.

"Where's Amy?"

"Right here!" a voice declared and both of the time traveller turned to see Amy held captive in the arms of the man who had been introduced earlier. Rose struggled to recall his name but he had a sinister aura about him.

"Let her go!" the Doctor ordered. The man grinned at the Doctor sadistically, his cold eyes menacing and calculating. Then his eyes rested on Amy and they softened marginally.

"She was never in any danger…I would never put anybody who looked like her in danger" he whispered fondly before shoving her in the direction of the Doctor and Rose, who caught her quickly. "That was quite a show you put up Doctor, but I'm afraid I won't suffer the same fate as Cassandra"

With that, the strange man disappeared leaving an unconscious Amy, a confused Rose and a furious Doctor.

* * *

Amy stirred in her sleep. Rubbing her temple to soothe the throbbing headache, her blurry vision eventually focused on Rose bending over her and looking at her worriedly.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" Amy groaned as she sat up. "What happened?"

"We're in the Manchester suite" Rose replied and Amy noticed Rose had avoided her question. "It's empty now, they're all gone"

With that, Rose stood up and looked out the window to see the remains of the Planet Earth floating in the endless expanse of Space. Amy stood up and the two watched in companionable silence. Eventually, Amy sensed the presence of the Doctor standing beside Rose.

"The end of the Earth…it's gone" Rose whispered tearfully. "We were too busy saving ourselves and nobody saw it go" the Doctor and Amy both looked at her morosely. "All those years… all that _history_ and no one was even looking"

Amy looked out the window and thought of all the people who would be dead by now. Rory, River, her parents, Brian, Aunt Sharon…

"Come on" the Doctor said softly as he took Rose's hand. Rose looked at him with a sad smile, grabbing Amy's hand. The Doctor led them both back to the TARDIS. Rose and Amy looked at their planet one last time in silent remembrance.

* * *

The three stepped out of the TARDIS and found themselves in a busy street.

"You think it'll last forever. People, cars, concrete, but it won't. One day, it'll be gone, even the sky"

The three looked up at the sky at that.

"My planet's gone" the Doctor announced abruptly. Rose and Amy turned to look at him in surprise. Jabe and his argument with Rose seemed to have a bigger impact on him than she realised. "It's dead. It burned like the Earth; it's just rocks and dust floating in space before it's time"

Amy then remembered what she had forgotten earlier. This was the Doctor straight after the Time War, when he had to perform genocide on his species and the Daleks. He had told her everything eventually in the future but she wasn't sure he was ready to share everything just yet.

"What happened?" Rose asked him softly. She had just got him to open up and she wasn't going to waste an opportunity like this.

"There was a war and we lost" the Doctor answered bluntly. Amy knew that wasn't the complete truth but then again she knew what rule one of the Doctor was.

"A war with who?" Rose asked. When the Doctor didn't reply, she decided to change tactics. "What about your people?"

"I'm a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords, they're all gone. I'm left travelling on my own because there's no one else"

Amy looked down. She felt guilty for being annoyed at the Doctor after what happened to him but she was always a selfish person. She wasn't ready to forgive him yet.

"You have us" Rose smiled softly, pointing between Amy and herself.

"You've seen how dangerous it is, do you want to go home?" the Doctor asked Rose and Amy noted with annoyance he still intended to run experiments on her.

"I don't know" Rose sighed. "I want…" she paused and sniffed the air. A big grin spread over her face. "Can you smell chips?"

The Doctor chuckled. "Yeah, I can, yeah!"

"Me too" Amy inputted.

"I want chips" Rose declared and Amy smiled.

"Me too" the Doctor decided.

"Me three" Amy finished with a grin.

"Right then, before you get me back in that box, chips it is and you can pay" Rose ordered and Amy laughed.

"Bossy, aren't you?" Rose only grinned at her.

"No money" the Doctor shrugged, patting his pockets.

"What sort of date are you?" Rose teased. "Come on then tightwad, chips are on me and Amy"

"Woah, hold on a second!" Amy raised her hands in protest. "I need the money to buy essentials! It's the only money I've got!"

"Aliens and humans, not that different, are they?" Rose rolled her eyes playfully. "Come on then you two, chips are on me"

"Awesome!" Amy grinned.

"Yeah, well, we've only got five billion years before the shops close"

* * *

 **A/N:** I wonder if I should have continued the last chapter to include this, it seems rushed. Oh well!

Next up will **not** be The Unquiet Dead, it's going to be a TARDISode!

 **Aka-Baka-Hoshi:** That's a clever idea actually! The premonition subplot will be addressed sooner or later.

 **Bwburke94:** I know, it's suspicious isn't it?


	9. Guilt

_Meanwhile in the TARDIS: Guilt_

* * *

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" the Doctor's voice rang throughout the TARDIS.

Amy stopped stroking the TARDIS rotor and turned to face him with a glare. They had just got back from the chip shop and Rose had excused herself to go to the toilet and freshen up. The Doctor had seized the opportunity to question her.

"Don't you want to find out through your experiment?" Amy bit, flapping her arms dramatically to annoy him. The Doctor looked less than impressed, shooting her a venomous glare.

The entire console room was silent for a few minutes. Amy refused to talk to the Doctor, while the Doctor looked like he wanted to quench his curiosity but remained silent to protect his ego. The TARDIS whirred silently, watching the two intently.

Finally, Amy broke the silence with a sigh. She drummed her fingers on the side of the console wondering what on Earth was taking Rose so long in the bathroom. She looked at the Doctor suspiciously as her thoughts drifted towards the possibility that the Doctor had put Rose's bathroom out of sync with the control room so she didn't interrupt the pair in their less than riveting conversation.

"Fine" Amy finally conceded. "What do you want to talk about?"

The Doctor's eyes drifted towards hers and held her gaze for a few minutes. Amy could practically see the thoughts whirling around in his head as he tried to lock onto a sensible question that wouldn't result in Amy shutting him down.

The Doctor may have only known the woman for just over an hour, but he knew she was the kind of person who could stand her ground if she wanted. Humans, they were always so stubborn.

"Are you a time traveller?"

There was a pause in the air. Amy battled with the multiple scenarios in her head for each of the possibilities that would result in how she answered the Time Lord. She looked up at him and answered him without hesitation.

"No"

It wasn't a complete lie. Amy had given up her time travelling days when she chose to reunite with Rory and spend the rest of her life with him despite the Doctor's hysterical pleas.

Another pause filled the air. The Doctor looked at her with searching eyes as he tried to dissect her thoughts but Amy had spent enough time with him to know how to counter him and that was the reason why she was on the other side of the console.

"Have you got more questions?" Amy asked.

"How are you in Rose's time if you're from the future?" the Doctor inquired.

The air seemed to stifle and choke Amy. She didn't want to think about her home and the family she would never see again. Long ago, she would have considered her home to be on the TARDIS having adventures but recently she realised she didn't want adventures if she couldn't have Rory.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes" the Doctor shot back without hesitation.

Amy took a deep breath as she started to sort through and list the things she could tell the Doctor without giving away too much. She had learned the hard way that time could not rewrite everything.

"I'm from the future, what year doesn't concern you" Amy started, relishing from the annoyed glint in the Doctor's eyes when she refused to tell him what time period she was from. "I was in New York with my husband, Rory"

A sad smile graced Amy's lips. "We were on a family day out…but there was an accident"

"Get on with it!" the Doctor snapped. Amy grinded her teeth to refrain from lashing out at him and continued with her edited anecdote.

"We were visiting a graveyard to pay our respects" Amy lied, refraining from mentioning who they were paying their respects to. She noted that she had become better over the course of her travels with the Doctor. There was once a time she couldn't even lie to Mrs Angelo about her career. "Then a Weeping Angel appeared and snatched Rory away"

"I couldn't leave him alone somewhere so… _different_ by himself" Amy's voice cracked and she quickly looked down so the Doctor wouldn't see her furiously wiping the tears trickling down her face.

The Doctor's shoulders slumped and he looked at Amy with pity flickering in his eyes.

"How did you know that the Face of Boe would need help?" he asked, steering the conversation to a new topic.

Amy sighed, rubbing her forehead. She didn't have an answer to the Doctor's question. She could barely remember what happened, it was all a blur. She reasoned that it was probably a good thing. The only thing she remembered was the vision, but that would just give the Doctor more determination to run tests on her.

"I don't know" she admitted. "I really don't have an answer for you"

The Doctor's eyes were searching hers, trying to probe an answer from her but Amy really didn't have a plausible answer that would make sense even to the Doctor.

"Ok" he said simply.

"Here's the thing though, I was supposed to wake up in the New York graveyard, but I ended up in Henrik's. Maybe Rory isn't in New York either"

"Odd" the Doctor frowned before flicking a switch on the TARDIS console, dismissing the thought for another time.

The ship whirred and Amy guessed he removed the time lock. The Doctor started circling the TARDIS and Amy slumped into the captain's chair. While she had come to terms with leaving the Doctor behind to be with Rory, the pain of the memory was still too fresh. Not for the first time in her life, she longed to escape for a while. She bitterly realised she was not as grown up as she would like to think.

"Hold on," the Doctor suddenly said, whirling around to face her with a suspicious glint in his eyes. "How do you know the Weeping Angels' name?"

Amy froze. She kicked herself internally for making that mistake and for being too wrapped up in her grief to realise. Luckily, she was saved from having to answer when a pink and yellow teenager hopped into the room. She could've sworn she felt the TARDIS wink inside her head.

"Blimey, it feels like I was in that bathroom forever!" she yelled and Amy offered her a faint smile. Rose smiled back at her before standing next to the Doctor. "Where to now?" she asked chirpily.

The Doctor frowned at Amy for a couple of seconds before turning to Rose, a frown still on his face. Amy saw Rose's own smile fade before the Doctor grinned.

"I know just the place!" the leather clad Time Lord exclaimed as he ran up to a surprised Amy and pulled her to one side of the console.

"What gives?" Amy inquired exasperatedly, still surprised from being dragged to the console against her will.

The Doctor only grinned as he pointed to a button.

"Hold that one down!"

 **A/N:** Here it is! As guessed by **Aka-Baka Hoshi** this TARDISode is related to Amy. So now, the Doctor has some more insight into Amy's past and why she was in Henrik's in the first place, and that's part of the reason why the Doctor, Rose and Amy are present for the events of the _Unquiet Dead_ in the first place.


	10. Gwyneth

_Gwyneth_

* * *

"I told you to hold that one down!" the Doctor reprimanded as he worked on the console. The TARDIS shuddered violently and Amy tried to hold on for dear life.

" _I am_!" Amy yelled over the jerking movements and whirring of the ship.

"No, hold the other one down!" the Doctor yelled back. Amy glared at him scathingly as she grabbed the lever directly below the one she was holding earlier.

"Rose, hold them _both_ down!"

Rose huffed and tried to reach for a lever on the other side of the console.

"This isn't going to work!" she sighed doubtfully, clinging onto the console. Even though the girl looked cynical about the Doctor's motives, she still had a grin plastered on her face.

"Oi, I promised you a time machine and that's what you're getting! Now, you've seen the future- let's have a look at the past. 1860! How does 1860 sound?"

"What happens in 1860?" Rose asked the Doctor as a soft beeping filled the air.

"Don't know, let's find out!" he cried gleefully. "Hold on, here we go…"

Amy knew what the Doctor was doing. Under the pretence of showing Rose the past, he was also beginning a search for Rory. A small smile graced Amy's lips. Maybe she could return to the life she wanted with Rory after all.

Amy was thrown onto the metal grating when the TARDIS came to a sudden stop. She groaned at the abrupt landing and rubbed her sore head, feeling a bruise forming. She looked up and watched in slight amusement as smoke started billowing out of the console.

"Blimey!" Rose cried out. Standing up and brushing herself off, Amy realised Rose and the Doctor had also fallen on the ground when the TARDIS landed. The Doctor was already on his feet and Rose was picking herself up.

"You're telling me! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" Rose replied as she rubbed her neck. The Doctor turned to Amy with a questioning gaze and Amy nodded, signalling she was fine as well. "Nothing broken…probably, did we make it? Where are we?"

"I did it, give the man a medal!" the Doctor cheered as Amy and Rose joined him at the monitor. "Earth, Naples, December 24th, 1860!"

"You're kidding!"

"You're _sure_ it's Naples, yeah?" Amy asked wearily. She didn't want another repeat of Rio…again!

"Of course I'm sure!" the Doctor scoffed before frowning. "Well…quite sure….ok, not very sure"

Amy sighed exasperatedly. The TARDIS gurgled in what Amy guessed was a mocking fashion going by the annoyed look on the Doctor's face. Amy noticed Rose was uncharacteristically silent, staring at the screen fondly, as if she was somewhere else entirely.

"Are you alright Rose?"

"I'm fine!" Rose assured her, glancing back at the screen with a soft smile. "It's just…so weird"

"It's all yours" the Doctor declared, gesturing towards the TARDIS doors with his hands.

"No, no, no, you two don't understand!" Rose said, staring at the door with a longing gaze. "Think about it though. It's Christmas, 1860. Happens once, just once, then it's all gone!" her gaze turned dreamy and her tone became wistful as she continued to stare at the door, entranced. "It's finished, never happens again…except for you!" Rose turned to look at the Doctor with a searching gaze, Amy shuffling to stand beside her.

"You can go back to days that are dead and gone and a hundred thousand sunsets ago…" she grinned cheerfully. "No wonder you never sit still"

Amy bumped shoulders with Rose, who grinned at her with her infamous tongue-between-teeth smile.

"Not a bad life" the Doctor said softly, folding his arms and looking at the peroxide blonde girl fondly.

"Better with two" Rose countered just as softly, before breaking off with a grin. "You too, I guess"

"Oi!" the Doctor cried indignantly and the two girls burst out laughing.

"Come on then!" Rose chirped, tapping the Doctor on the arm before grabbing Amy's hand and dragging her along with her before she could protest.

"Oi, where do you think you're going?" the Doctor asked them, amused. Amy and Rose stopped. They turned around and pretended to think, Amy bringing a hand to her chin for dramatic effects.

"Well, we just landed in a machine that can travel in Time and Space…"

"So I guess we're going to Naples, 1860?" Rose finished with a grin. The Doctor rolled his eyes at their antics.

"Get out there dressed like that, you'll start a riot Barbarella!" he cried in a matter-of-factly tone. Amy's eyes drifted towards her outfit. She was still dressed in her striped top, and her blue jeans. Her secret key was still tucked safely in her pocket.

"I'll just roll up my sleeves and I'll be fine" Amy called out dismissively.

"You think?" the Doctor scoffed. "There's a wardrobe through there: First left, second right, third on the left, go straight ahead, under the stairs, past the bins and it's the fifth door on your left. Well, hurry up then!"

Amy and Rose exchanged looks before running through the designated door, absolutely giddy.

* * *

After getting lost several times, the two girls stumbled upon a door.

"What do you think this is?" Rose asked. Amy had no answer, so she shrugged. Rose opened the door and the two poked their head inside.

The sight of the room made Amy's blood run cold. It was her bedroom, exactly as she had left it, everything from the bunk bed to the clothes strewn on the floor. Sometimes Amy forgot the TARDIS was sentient and didn't operate the laws of time that humans were used to.

"Who knows why he has this room" Amy quickly said, anxious to leave the door behind before Rose's curiosity got the better of her. "Come on, let's go find that wardrobe"

* * *

After finding the wardrobe and taking longer than should be allowed getting dressed, the two made their way back to the console room. Upon arriving, they found the Doctor had opened a grate and started working on some repairs.

Amy peered inside. It was quite spacious in there, there was floor where she could sit and contemplate. Dismissing the thought for later, she brought her attention to Rose who was coughing lightly to catch the Doctor's attention.

When the Doctor didn't look up, Amy forcefully stomped her foot on the grate. The echoing of the metal reverberated around the console room and caught the Doctor's attention. He looked up and the redhead could have sworn his jaw dropped at the sight of Rose.

"Blimey!"

"Don't laugh!" Rose warned him, looking at her dress sheepishly. She was wearing a black dress with a flowing red skirt and Victorian styled boots hidden underneath.

"You look beautiful" he whispered, continuing to stare at her. Rose blushed and gave him her tongue-poking-between-teeth smile. Amy smiled at the two. She remembered where she had heard about and seen the two while they were eating chips on Earth. She remembered the Doctor from the holograms displayed by the Atraxi and she recalled seeing pictures of Rose while snooping through the TARDIS visual records.

"Careful Doctor, I think I see drool" Amy said bashfully, causing the Doctor and Rose to jump and look at her, glaring venomously. Amy laughed at their faces. They were both blushing furiously. Amy had chosen to wear a sleeveless white dress with pale blue accents. She was wearing white sneakers underneath for practical purposes. She had even found the white parasol she saw River wield on one of their many trips together.

"Well, beautiful considering you're human!" the Doctor quickly amended. Amy and Rose sent him strange and quizzical looks but said nothing.

After recovering, Rose narrowed her eyes at him. "Well, aren't you going to change?"

"I've changed me jumper!" the Doctor retorted, pulling his jumper out slightly to affirm his point. He pulled himself out of the grate and grinned at the pair. "Come on!"

"No, you stay right there!" Rose exclaimed, running towards the door. "You've done this before on our last trip, this one is ours!" she yelled childishly. Amy grinned and joined her at the door.

Slowly, Rose poked her head out the door and gasped. She twirled slightly on the spot and made a footprint in the snow. Amy frowned as she looked around at the alleyway. Wherever they were, it definitely wasn't Naples.

"Ready for this?" the Doctor asked Rose as he shut the TARDIS door behind him. He held out both his arms for both of them to take. Rose took it immediately with a grin but Amy was more hesitant. The Doctor looked at her and the two shared a silent debate over their earlier conversation. Finally, Amy receded and grudgingly took the Doctor's arms. "Here we go: history!"

They found themselves in a little crowded street after walking for a little while. Strolling through the crowded area, Amy smiled at the polite ladies and gentleman who walked past them, arms linked and walking with purpose.

The streets were brightly lit by gas lamps, horses drawing carriages trotted past them towards their intended destination and carollers were singing in the distance. It would have been perfect had the wind not been so chilly and biting. Amy twirled the parasol with a smirk before drawing her cloak closer to shield her body from the harsh climate.

The Doctor suddenly withdrew his arms and ran towards a man holding a stack of newspapers, leaving Rose and Amy to admire their surroundings. He was scanning the newspaper as he walked back to them and looked up with a forlorn expression.

"I got the flight a bit wrong"

"I don't care" Rose replied as she continued to admire her surroundings.

"It's not 1860, it's 1869"

"You managed to overshoot that far?" Amy asked incredulously.

"I don't care!" Rose repeated.

"It's not Naples" he said and Amy rolled her eyes. She had already guessed that much. Rose just shrugged it off again, still engrossed by the new area.

"It's Cardiff." He deadpanned. This made Rose stop and look at him strangely.

"Right…"

"Explains the weather" Amy muttered.

They shrugged it off and continued walking when screams suddenly erupted and echoed through the air. The Doctor's head shot up and he grinned, flinging the newspaper into the air.

" _That's_ more like it!"

He took off running with Rose and Amy close behind. They ran into the largest building pushing past people who were streaming out, screaming hysterically. Amy couldn't help but think of the time when River had robbed several Germans of their clothes in a restaurant and holding them at gunpoint while she was driving around Nazi Germany with Rory.

They ran into the main area and Amy paused, staring transfixed at a blue ghost flying around the room. Drifting her gaze downwards, Amy noticed a very pale woman with her mouth opened wide, an unearthly scream rumbling out. Amy's own eyes widened as she realised the ghost was emanating from the woman herself.

"This is not happening" she gasped incredulously.

"I know! Fantastic!" the Doctor replied with a grin and Amy rolled her eyes. Only he would be enjoying the moment. He ran up on the stadium where a man with a ridiculous beard was staring at the ghost in a state of shock. Despite the situation, Amy was delighted that the man was a ginger.

"Did you see where it came from?"

"Ah, the wag reveals himself and his giantess accomplice, does he?" the man said bitterly, glaring at them. The Doctor was taken aback while Amy shot the man a poisonous glare.

"What's wrong with this jumper?!" he asked, affronted.

"Did you just call me his ' _giantess accomplice'?_ " Amy asked in disdain.

"Oi, leave her alone!" Rose's yell echoed around the stadium. Amy looked over to see an old man and a terrified young woman dragging the old lady out of the room. "Doctor, I'll get them!"

"Be careful!" the Doctor cried out in warning but Rose was already gone. Amy, worried she could get hurt, jumped off the stage and ran after her, wondering if the Doctor ever had a quiet Christmas.

* * *

Amy finally arrived outside. She scanned the area for the peroxide blonde but came up empty. Her eyes narrowed on the young girl she saw earlier and ran after her. She was looking around nervously, which made her suspicious.

"Hey!" she yelled as she caught up to the startled girl. "Where's my friend!"

When the girl didn't answer, Amy was ready to rant her ears off but a hand suddenly clamped over her mouth.

Amy didn't panic. She knew how this game worked by now. Kicking and thrashing in the man's grip, she elbowed him in the ribs. The man recoiled, gasping in pain before he roared and slapped Amy across the face and knocked her out.

* * *

"Amy?"

Amy groaned as she felt someone shake her rigorously. A headache beat inside her head, which didn't help matters.

"Amy, stop sleeping!"

Amy zeroed in on the voice and realised it was Rose. She jolted upright, looking straight at the frightened teenager and regretted it. The headache began pounding again so she lay back down on the table.

"I thought you were dead!" Rose gasped. Amy laughed softly, looking around the area. They were in a small room with two coffins.

"Death seems to have an aversion to me" Amy said. "I have got a massive headache though"

Rose didn't respond. Confused, Amy sat up to see her gaping at something over her shoulder. Twisting her body, she almost jumped when she saw a man staring right at her. His eyes were dark, almost dead and he seemed to be examining the two females. Wisps of smoke were dancing around the corners of his mouth and light blue glow enveloped and intertwined with his skin, giving him a ghostly feel.

"Great!" Amy quipped sarcastically, jumping off the table and running straight for the door. Rose seemed more hesitant, staring at the man with a shaky grin.

"You're kidding me, yeah?" she asked, faltering. "You're just kidding?"

Amy stopped and ran back to grab Rose. "Rose, we're in Cardiff with the _Doctor_ locked in a room with zombies"

"Right, okay, not kidding" Rose quickly said as she ran for the door. The man stood up out of his coffin and started stalking across the room. Rose tugged on the handle a few times.

"It's won't open!" she cried, biting her lip and looking annoyed. "That's the second time in a day!"

"Next time, don't run off without us?" Amy suggested as she tried rattling the door handle again.

Another moan echoed around the room and Amy realised with horror the old lady from the theatre was moving towards them too. Rose picked up a vase from the table and threw it at the man zombie, who faltered slightly but started moving again.

"Oh, this is so very 'Walking Dead'" Amy muttered. Rose turned around and helped Amy try to open the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"Doctor…!" Rose cried out, tugging on the door. "Doctor, help us!"

"Open the door!" Amy screamed.

The man zombie reached out and grabbed Rose, who screamed and struggled in his grip. Amy's patience finally wore thin. Pouring her frustration into a single action, she kicked the door down to be met with the shocked looks of the Doctor, the annoying man from the arena and the two kidnappers.

"I was going to do that!" the Doctor sighed, sounding disappointed with Amy.

"Hurry up with your rescues then!" she yelled at him. The Doctor peered over her shoulder and saw Rose writhing in the zombie's grip and grabbed her away from it.

"I believe this is my dance!"

"It's a prank" the man from the theatre said, sounding very unsure of himself. "It must be. We're under some mesmeric influence"

"No we're not, the dead are walking" the Doctor replied, keeping his gaze fixed on the ghosts.

"Who's your friend?" a heavy breathing Rose asked. The man looked slightly abashed at not being recognised and Amy wondered why.

"Charles Dickens" the Doctor replied simply, but his eyes glimmered with excitement.

"Oh…okay" Rose said, filing away the thought to freak out about later. Amy stared at the man in disbelief.

"You're telling me I was called a giantess by _Charles Dickens_?" Amy asked in annoyed tone before her grin betrayed her. "Brilliant!"

"He called you a what?" Rose asked while the Doctor spoke to the zombies. Before Amy could respond, two overlapping voices rang around the room. One was the deep, baritone voice of a man while the other sounded like a small child.

" _We're failing!"_ it responded to whatever question the Doctor had asked. " _Open the rift, we're dying. Trapped in this form! Help us!"_

With a chilling scream, the ghosts poured out of the mouth of the zombies and dissipated into the gas lamps, leaving the two bodies behind to crumple to the floor.

Nobody spoke for a few seconds, shocked by the events that had just occurred. Finally, Amy broke the silence.

"So…ghosts around Charles Dickens. On _Christmas_ "

The Doctor and Rose looked at her with exasperated grins.

* * *

"First of all," Rose started as she and Amy paced across the room, glaring at Mr Sneed as he sat in a chair, looking very afraid. "You drug us, then you kidnap us and _don't_ think I didn't feel your hand having a quick wander, you _dirty_ old man!"

"Not only that, but you _slap_ me and knock me out!" Amy said, twirling her parasol angrily as Mr Sneed sank in his chair. "If I feel any bruises, I'll be sure to repay the debt!"

The Doctor snickered quietly but stopped when Amy and Rose shot him identical glares.

"I will not be spoken to like this!" the old man cried exasperatedly. Rose focused her attention on him with another glare.

"Then you stuck us in a room full of zombies! And if that ain't enough- you swan off! And leave us to die!"

"One of them grabbed Rose; she could've been seriously injured!" Amy glowered at him. "And don't think I'm going to pay for that broken door, you kidnapper!"

"So come on- talk!" Rose ordered. When the man didn't respond immediately, Amy and Rose opened their umbrellas in his face. "NOW" they yelled simultaneously.

"It's not my fault, it's the house!" Sneed spluttered in his defence. "It's always had a reputation. Haunted, but I never had much bother until a few months back. Then the stiffs-" he paused when everyone shot him resentful glares. "…the…um- the dear departed started getting restless!"

"Tommyrot" Dickens scoffed.

"You witnessed it, can't keep the beggars down, sir! They walk, and it's the queerest thing that they hang onto his scraps"

Dickens scoffed again "Morbid Fancy!"

"Oh Charles you were there!" the Doctor reminded him, sounding annoyed more than anything.

"I saw nothing but an _illusion"_ he declared.

"If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time" the Doctor bit. "Just shut up"

Dickens looked horrified and hurt, but kept quiet. Amy and Rose shot him sympathetic looks.

"What about the gas?" the Doctor asked, turning to address Sneed.

"That's new sir, never seen anything like that!" Sneed replied.

"That means it's getting stronger, the rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through"

Amy looked down, reminded of the crack in her bedroom wall and Prisoner Zero.

"What's the rift?" a confused Rose asked.

"A weak point in time and space, the connection between this place and another" the Doctor explained. "That's the cause of ghost stories, most of the time"

"You say it as if there's more than one" Amy interjected.

"Well, there are" he said dismissively. "Loads of them, all over the place but this one is getting bigger, and that worries me"

"That's how I got the house so cheap," Sneed said proudly. "It's haunted, with stories going back generations! Echoes in the dark, queer songs in the air and this feeling…like a shadow. Passing over your soul"

"Nice campfire stories" Amy quipped sarcastically.

"Mine you, truth be told, it's been good for business. Just what people expect from a gloomy old trade like mine"

The Doctor looked around and sighed. "I have to go apologise to Charles. Why don't you two ask Sneed some questions for me?"

"Or," Amy replied quickly. "We can go ask Gwyneth instead?"

"Yeah, the maid always knows something juicy!" Rose voiced her agreement just as quickly.

"I think it's for the best, sir," Sneed said. "They might try to bludgeon me had they found the opportunity!"

The Doctor chuckled and nodded. "Alright, just stay out of trouble"

Amy and Rose gave him innocent looks. "Us, trouble? Ye of little faith, Doctor!"

The Doctor grumbled as he left room, leaving behind two snickering ladies.

* * *

As soon as the Doctor left, Amy and Rose shot Sneed one last glare (and a whack with their umbrella for good measure) before running off to the kitchen to find Gwyneth. They found her starting to wash plates near the wash bin.

Amy looked around the room nervously. The gas lamps illuminated their shadows and cast their shadows in distorted places, making her jump. Rose walked up to the wash bin and started washing a cup.

"Please, miss!" Gwyneth gasped, looking ashamed as she snatched the cup away. "You shouldn't be helping, it's not right!"

"Don't be daft, Sneed works you to death!" Rose argued. Gwyneth held out her hand and looked at Rose pleadingly. Slowly and reluctantly, Rose handed Gwyneth the cloth.

"How much do you get paid?" Rose asked the girl curiously.

"Eight pound a year, miss" Gwyneth said after a pause, as if she was embarrassed.

"How much…?" Amy asked incredulously. Then she remembered that the 21st century was a very different place to 1869 Cardiff.

"I know! I would've happy with six!" Gwyneth replied, equally shocked.

"Right…" Rose looked down in confusion before focusing on another question. "Did you go to school?"

Gwyneth looked at her in shock.

"Of course I did!" she gasped. "What do you think I am? an urchin? I went every Sunday, nice and proper"

"You went once a week?" Amy gasped. Gwyneth nodded with a smile.

"That's right Ma'am! We did sums and everything!" she looked around for a second and leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. "To be honest, I hated every second of it"

"Me too" Rose confessed, grinning widely. The two girls laughed and Amy smiled fondly. Poor Gwyneth probably didn't have much contact with other females given her profession and the stuck up man she was serving.

"Don't tell anyone but, one week, I didn't go and ran on the heath all on my own!" she started giggling to herself and Amy and Rose reciprocated the infectious laugh. Gwyneth was so very full of life, even if she did look despondent at times.

"I did plenty of that," Rose confessed with a grin. "I used to go to the shops with my mate Shareen and we used to go and look at boys"

The laughing stopped and Gwyneth looked at Rose awkwardly. "Well, I don't know much about that, miss"

"Come on!" Rose urged when Gwyneth returned to cleaning. "Times haven't change that much! I bet you've done the same"

"I don't think so miss"

Rose continued, persistent. "Gwyneth, you can tell me! Bet you've got your eye on someone"

Gwyneth stopped cleaning and Amy saw a small, soft smile creep up her lips. "I suppose there it one lad...the butcher's boy. He comes by ever Tuesday, you see. Such a lovely smile on him"

"Oh, I like a nice smile," Rose sighed, actively encouraging her. "Good smile, nice bum"

Amy couldn't help but laugh at the look on Gwyneth's face.

"Now, Amy, don't laugh" Rose said, wiggling her eyebrows. "You know all about attracting charming men with nice bums, don't you?"

"Cheeky!" Amy snorted and the three women erupted in laughter.

"Well, I have never heard the like!" Gwyneth said in between her giggles.

"Ask him out!" Rose advised encouragingly. "Give him a cup of tea or something, that's a start!"

"I don't think Rose should be handing out advice when she can't even ask the Doctor out" Amy whispered loudly and relished in the furious blush that surrounded Rose's cheeks.

"I swear it's the strangest thing miss" Gwyneth whispered fondly, as if she was in awe with the two females in front of her. "You've got all the clothes and breeding but you talk like some sort of wild thing!"

"That just about explains us," Amy said with a grin. "We're _wild things!"_

Rose smiled softly at the maid. "I could give you a dress if you'd like"

"Oh now miss, I don't want pity"

"I'm serious!" Rose said seriously. "You need more in your life than Mr Sneed"

"Ah, now that's not fair!" Gwyneth said immediately, looking guilty. "He's not so bad, old Sneed. He was very kind to take me in because I lost my mum and dad when I was twelve and my brother left me behind"

"I'm sorry" Rose said softly, offering her condolences. Amy felt guilty too. Maybe they had judged Sneed too harshly…then again he had slapped her across the face and knocked her out.

"Thank you miss but I'll be with them again, one day. Sitting with them in paradise" Gwyneth said wistfully and Amy smiled at the innocence that Gwyneth housed inside her. "I should be so blessed. They're waiting for me. Maybe you're dad is up there waiting for you too, miss"

Amy froze, looking at Gwyneth suspiciously. Travelling with the Doctor for over ten years teaches you to look out for anything suspicious. Nobody had mentioned Rose's dad.

"Maybe…" Rose said wistfully before looking at Gwyneth strangely as well. "Um, who told you he was dead?"

Gwyneth's eyes widened and she focused her attention on the dishes, scrubbing them furiously and refusing to make eye contact.

"I don't know, must have been the Doctor" she replied quickly.

"My father died years back" Rose said, advancing slowly on Gwyneth to probe for answers.

"You've been thinking about him lately, more than ever" Amy realised that Gwyneth was stating it as a fact and narrowed her eyes, gripping her parasol.

"I s'pose" Rose said, lost in thought. Amy watched her in painful realisation that part of the reason she joined the Doctor was to save her father. "How do you know all this?"

"Mr Sneed says I think too much! I'm all alone down here. I bet you've got dozens of servants, haven't you miss?"

"No, no servants where we're from" Rose replied quickly, shooting Amy a glare as she snickered at the possibility. Well, Amy had a butler for a while thanks to the Doctor, so she had one slave.

"You've come such a long way" Gwyneth said, staring at Rose intently. The blonde stepped back a little at the seriousness laced in her tone. Nevertheless, she watched the maid with interest while Amy walked towards the two slowly.

"What makes you think so?"

"You're from London" Gwyneth stated, her eyes dark and dead almost akin to the zombies earlier, but some much more. "I've seen London in drawings but never like that"

"Like what?" Amy asked, hoping to keep her talking to try and figure out the root of the problem.

"All those people running about half naked" Gwyneth whispered before her mouth twisted into a frown. " _For shame_ …and the noise…the metal boxes racing past…and the birds in the sky…no…no, they're metal as well. Metal birds with people in them. People _flying!_ And you- you've flown so far. The things you've seen…the darkness! The big Bad Wolf!"

She suddenly whirled around and stared at Amy, who jumped slightly. "You have so many _memories._ Memories worth a lifetime, friends that provide you warmth and enemies that constantly lurk in the shadows! Your lost husband, the lone Centurion, oh so, so lost. The lost girl who waited, the weary traveller…the guardian of the wolf"

Gwyneth suddenly pulled away gasping, knocking over glasses on the counter. Amy released the breath she hadn't realised she was holding and furrowed her brow. Cassandra had called her a Weary Traveller wannabe on Platform One.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, miss!" Gwyneth apologised, gasping for breath.

"S'alright!" Rose said comfortingly, trying to calm the girl's nerves.

"I'm sorry, I can't help it! My mum said I had the sight, she told me to hide it!"

"But it's getting stronger" Amy jumped as the Doctor's voice interjected itself into the conversation. Twisting her body, she saw him leaning against the door, watching them intently. "More powerful, is that right?"

"All the time sir, every night. Voices in my head" she sighed and patted her head.

"You grew up on top of the rift, you're part of it. You're the key" he explained.

"I've tried to make sense of it sir! Consulted with spiritualists, table wrappers, all sorts"

"Well that should help. You can show us what to do"

"What to do where, sir?" Gwyneth asked as Amy and Rose exchanged confused glances.

"We're going to hold a séance"

Amy's head shot straight towards the Doctor's.

"I'm sorry?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Just to let you guys know that I've changed my pen name to _Touch of Starlight_ because I thought it sounded cool! I also realised I made a mistake in the last A/N where I accidentally got the names muddled. It was actually **Bwburke94** who guessed it, sorry!

 **Bwburke94:** Well, Amy and the Doctor don't stand on the steadiest ground at the moment and Amy can be very selfish when she wants to be. She's being selfish because she's annoyed at the Doctor's harsh attitude and coldness and doesn't want to give him more reasons to look at her like a delicate experiment and not a friend.

 **Aka-Baka Hoshi:** Well, here's the chapter! Hope it was a fun ride!

 **TimeturnerJasmy:** I think the Doctor will figure it out too, just not straight away seeing as Amy's not giving away anything important.

 **Son of Whitebeard:** I hope this chapter answered your question! Nice name, by the way!

 **Margie me:** The Doctor really does need to drop that experimentation idea! The Doctor's being very difficult towards Amy at the moment, but I won't say anything regarding their development. The TARDIS is also being very sneaky too and is withholding information from him to watch him run around for her own amusement.


	11. Steel

_Steel_

* * *

"This is _absolutely ridiculous._ " Amy muttered as the all sat around a table, waiting for Gwyneth to finish with her preparations. She had no idea what was going through the Doctor's head, opting to hold a séance when he of all people knew ghosts did not exist. Rose swatted her arm to silence the ginger who grudgingly relented.

"This is how Madame Mortlock summons those from the land of mists down in mid-town." Gwyneth explained. "Come, we must all joins hands."

Even if Amy found the whole situation to be pointless and ridiculous, she grabbed Rose's hand from the right and tried to reach for Dickens', but the man pulled away and stood up with flair.

"I can't take part in this." he huffed.

"Humbug?" the Doctor teased and Amy snickered. "Come on, open mind."

"This is precisely the cheap mummery I try to unmask!" he declared. "Séances, nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeeze box concealed between the knees. This girl knows nothing!"

"Now don't antagonise her." The Doctor warned, grinning to himself. "I love a happy medium."

Rose giggled with the Doctor while Amy forced Dickens to sit down in his seat and forcefully grabbed his hand, shooting him a glare that dared him to argue back. Gwyneth started to address the spirits and Amy had to kick Dickens when he scoffed and rolled his eyes.

Suddenly, Gwyneth stopped talking mid-sentence and she looked straight up at the ceiling. The group followed her gaze but could see nothing out of the ordinary. Amy could hear a low whistling sound echoing around the room. She shared a nervous look with Rose and the blonde's nervous expression confirmed what she heard.

"Can anybody hear that?" Rose asked while Amy looked around the room for a draft or a flickering lamp.

"Nothing can happen, this is sheer folly!" Dickens reassured Rose, though Amy had the sneaking suspicion it was to provide him with more comfort.

"Look at her!" Rose argued with the pessimist, pointing at Gwyneth, who was beginning to twitch more violently.

"I feel them." She gasped, shaking slightly. "I feel them!"

Smoke poured out of the gas lamps and filled the room. Amy gripped Rose's hand tighter as disembodied spirits began to speak. Amy strained her ears but she struggled to make out what they were saying.

"What's it saying?" Rose asked, her eyes snaking back and forth between the Doctor and the spirits as if she was worried they would try to possess them.

"They can't get through the rift." The Doctor said with realisation. He turned to the twitching maid. "Gwyneth, it's not controlling you, you're controlling it! Now look deep, allow them through."

"Doctor," Amy started in warning, catching his attention. "Is that a good idea? They tried to hurt Rose."

Something flashed through the Doctor's eyes briefly but it disappeared just as quickly.

"I can't!" Gwyneth cried in agony, her eyes still locked on the ceiling. The poor girl sounded like she was using all her power trying to keep a fix on the ghosts, which worried Amy.

"You don't have to do this" Rose cried desperately, clearly distressed by the Doctor's plan.

"Yes, you do and you can." The Doctor said apprehensively, shooting them both glares. "Just believe it! I have faith in you Gwyneth!"

There was silence as Gwyneth lowered her head. More silence filled the air and the knot in Amy's stomach grew. Finally, a triumphant "yes!" filled the air and she sagged with relief.

Everybody watched as the ghosts formed shapes behind Gwyneth, growing and splitting into three different forms. The blue gas morphed and twisted until it formed a child with long flowing wisps of hair made of gas. The other two were less developed and looked grotesque in appearance. Their features reminded Amy of the deformed Weeping Angels in the Byzantium.

"Great god," Sneed gasped. "They're spirits from the other side!"

Charles was speechless, looking at the gas creatures with an expression that was a mixture of wonder and horror.

"The other side of the universe" the Doctor corrected.

" _Pity us!"_ the spirits cried in a chilling tone that made the hair on the back of Amy's neck stand on end. _"Pity the Gelth! There it so little time, help us!"_

"What do you want us to do?" the Doctor asked them. Amy shot an annoyed glare at him. Why was the Doctor helping them so quickly after he witnessed them try to kill Rose?

" _The rift, take the girl to the rift, make the bridge!"_

"What for?" the Doctor asked and Amy and Rose exchanged nervous looks.

" _We are so very few. The last of our kind, help us!"_ the creature cried insistently Amy had a horrible feeling gnawing at her gut.

"Why, what happened?" the Doctor asked, looking worried himself. They both had a feeling they knew the answer to his question.

" _Once we had physical form like you, and then the war came_ " the Gelth replied and Amy's breath hitched.

"What war?" Dickens asked.

" _The Time War."_ it looked as if a rupture shredded the Doctor to pieces as he exchanged nervous glances with Rose. These creatures were using the Doctor like putty in their hands. " _The whole universe convulsed. The Time War raged invisible to smaller species but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away, we're trapped in this gaseous state._ "

"That's why you need the corpses." The Doctor concluded and Amy couldn't help but noticed he didn't look very upset.

" _We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again. We need physical form and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste away, give them to us"_

"No, you can't have them!" Amy said indignantly. She felt nauseous at the thought of aliens inhabiting the corpses of loved ones.

"We can't!" Rose agreed, addressing the spirits mournfully.

The Doctor shot them angry glares. "Why can't we?"

"What did you say?" Amy asked incredulously, gawping at the Doctor with an open mouth.

"It's…it's not…" Rose struggled to come up with a coherent response and a plausible explanation, something which the Doctor seemed to take advantage of.

"Not decent? Not polite?" he said coldly. "It could save their lives!"

"It's not their property!" Amy yelled, drawing the Doctor's attention to her. "Those people have _died,_ Doctor, we should honour and respect their memory!"

"Well, it's like you said, they're dead, they won't feel anything." the Doctor shrugged. Rose looked at the Doctor in shock and Amy was ready to lunge at him.

" _Open the rift!"_ the Gelth interjected. " _Let the Gelth through! We're dying, help us! Pity the Gelth!"_

With one last cry of agony, they left their place behind Gwyneth and retreated into the gas lamps, leaving the room in silence as Gwyneth slumped over.

"It's all true." Dickens muttered mournfully, staring at the wall. A companionable silence followed as Amy and Rose got up to help Gwyneth, talking quietly.

* * *

Amy and Rose laid Gwyneth on a couch while Rose went to get the maid a cup of water. The silent and mutual dislike Amy and the Doctor felt for each currently was thick enough to be cut with a knife. The Scot dabbed at Gwyneth's head with a wet cloth while the Doctor leaned against the doorway and watched her work. Neither of them spoke.

After a few minutes of excruciating silence, Gwyneth started to stir. Eventually, her eyes fluttered open and Amy and Rose rushed to her side, ready to comfort her if necessary.

"It's alright!" Rose said gently, trying very hard not to freak Gwyneth out after the entire ordeal. "You just sleep."

"But…my angels miss. They came, didn't they? They need me." Gwyneth said with conviction and Amy sighed.

"Experience has taught me not to trust angels…especially the ones who weep" she said morosely, earning a strange look from the Doctor, but she ignored.

"They do need you Gwyneth." The Doctor said, drawing the maid's attention to him. "You're their only chance of survival."

"Look, I told you to leave her alone. She's exhausted and she's not fighting your battles for you!" Rose growled from her spot besides Gwyneth, clearly fed up with the Doctor's attitude.

The Doctor said nothing, resting his head against a wall and watching them patronisingly. Rose glared at him one last time before turning back to Gwyneth.

"Drink this." She said softly, handing her the glass of water, which Gwyneth took thankfully and chugged it down. The whole thing must have had a strain on her and left her parched.

The Doctor then had a conversation with Sneed, explaining everything to him that Amy didn't pay attention to, focusing on making sure Gwyneth was comfortable.

"They've been trying to go from Brecon to Cardiff but the road's blocked. Only a few can get through."

"Or they're just lying to us through their gassy teeth." Amy muttered through gritted teeth.

"Amy…" the Doctor started in warning.

"What?" Amy glared at the man. "We don't know!"

The Doctor sent her a venomous glare, a dark look in his eyes before he turned his back to her and went back to addressing Sneed.

"They can only test drive the bodies for so long, then they have to revert to gas and hide in the pipes."

"That's why they need the girl…" Dickens concluded, not looking very pleased with the prospect.

"Why are we even talking about this?" Amy demanded as Rose shot to her feet.

"They're not having her!" the pink and yellow girl declared.

"But she can help!" the Doctor argued with the teenager. "Living on the rift, she's become a part of it. She can open it up, make a bridge and they can get through!"

"Incredible, Ghosts that are not ghosts but beings from another world that can only exist in our world by inhabiting cadavers!" Dickens summarised, sounding very ill.

"Good system, it might work." The Doctor said, not sounding very upset.

"You can't let them run around dead people!" Rose yelled at him.

The two resumed their argument while Amy quietly slipped over to Gwyneth. She had a question she was dying to know the answer to.

"Gwyneth, you were able to look into my memories, correct?"

Gwyneth responded with a shaky grin. Amy paused to take a deep breath, the memories of the man hitting her hard.

"Can you see where he is? The Lone Centurion, I mean, do you know where he is?"

There was a pause between the pair as Gwyneth closed her eyes. A moment later her popped open and she shook her head sadly. The answer made Amy's shoulders sag in disappointment.

"I'm very sorry ma'am…but there are things even I can't see." Gwyneth replied morosely. Amy nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Standing up and focusing on the Doctor and Rose, she realised they were still arguing.

"It is different, yeah, it's a different morality. Get used to it or go home." He snapped and Amy could see Rose flinch in shock and sadness.

"That's not fair." Amy said, attracting their attention. The Doctor looked between her and Rose before sighing heavily.

"You know what they said, time's short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last of the Gelth could be dying."

"Can't they just stay in that gaseous state?" Amy asked. The Doctor shook his head and scrubbed his eyes with his hands.

"It doesn't work like that. They're bodies aren't built to survive in that state. They're dying painfully and slowly unless we give them the bodies and to do that, we need Gwyneth's help"

"I don't care, they're not using her." Rose said with conviction. The Doctor looked ready to coax her when another voice rang across the room.

"Don't I get a say, miss?"

All eyes were on the fragile form on Gwyneth, who sat on the couch with a small but sincere smile plastered on her face. Amy silently applauded the orphaned maid for her calmness despite the situation.

"Look," Rose said, her tone gentle and soothing, a stark contrast from the tone she used when speaking to the Doctor. "You don't understand what's going on."

"You would say that miss because it's very clear inside your head, that you think I'm stupid" Gwyneth said with a sad smile and Amy felt sorry for the girl. Rose also seemed to be taken aback by her comment as her shoulder's sagged.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Rose countered gently.

"It's true though." Gwyneth said sadly. "Things might be different where you're from but here and now, I know my own mind. The angels need me. Doctor, what do I have to do?"

"You don't _have_ to do anything." The Doctor said softly, clearly wanting to have her full consent.

"They've been singing to me since I was a child, sent by my mam on a holy mission. So tell me, what do I have to do?"

Amy slowly realised what horrible conclusion Gwyneth had come to. She turned to the Doctor, waiting for him to tell the truth. The silence that echoed around the room was palatable as all eyes were trained on the Doctor. Amy knew he would tell her the truth; this was the _Doctor_ of all people. She had faith he would explain to Gwyneth what they really were.

So when the Doctor simply smiled and walked over to the silent Sneed and Dickens, Amy felt like she was punched in the gut. Her eyes fluttered closed as she remembered what the unwavering rule with the Doctor was. What it always would be. Rule one: The Doctor lies.

"We need to find the rift. This house is on a weak spot, so there's a spot that's weaker than the others. Mr Sneed, what's the weakest part of this house, the place where the most ghosts have been?"

"That would be the Morgue, sir." Sneed replied in his nasally voice. Amy chuckled humourlessly.

"Of course it would."

"No chance you were going to say 'gazebo', was there?" Rose mumbled. Everybody looked at her sadly as they steeled themselves for what they were about to do.

Meanwhile, Amy was steeling herself for what _she_ had to do to get the Doctor to listen to her.

* * *

Everybody started to make their way towards the basement where the morgue was located. When Sneed, Dickens and Gwyneth were down the stairs and Rose was about to follow, Amy pushed the Doctor back into the living room and motioned for Rose to go on without them. The teenager complied, still miffed with the Doctor for what he was about to do.

"What?" The Doctor all but growled at her. This time, Amy wasn't going to back down.

"You're really going to let her do this?" she asked, remembering how he was on board with sending Kahler-Jex off to his doom at the hands of the Gunslinger. It was a common occurrence that Amy was accustomed to when the Doctor came back after travelling alone for a while. "You're going to let her walk off to her doom believing that God in sending her on a mission?"

"Yeah, why not?" the Doctor shrugged callously. "Better to let her die in hope than die lonely."

"This is _not_ okay Doctor! You're lying to a woman who's risking her life for you!"

The Doctor's gaze darkened. "It wouldn't be the first time somebody has risked their life for me."

"I don't care!" Amy hissed. "This is wrong! You just came back from a war, people you cared about died, and I get that!"

Amy really did understand. She would often sit with the Doctor in the library with underneath the skylight where nebulas or planets or stars would roll by and the Doctor would tell her stories about his past. It wasn't frequent, but she knew it was something massive the Doctor was sharing with her. He used to tell her the most amazing stories, mentioning his past companions fleetingly.

He liked to mention somebody called Sarah Jane Smith a lot, calling her his best friend other than herself and always telling her about how she was out there, fighting the good fight. He also mentioned his granddaughter Susan on occasion and told Amy that Susan would have loved to meet her. It was childish, but Amy held onto the hope she could meet Susan, but that hope was diminished when she chose to be with Rory in a sealed off time period.

"No, you don't!" the Doctor yelled at her. "You know nothing about me apart from what I _chose_ to share with you and Rose. You don't know why I travel in time and space, my family, nothing."

Amy laughed dryly at his words. He really had no idea how much she really knew about him. She knew it would change their relationship drastically, and she was still angry with him about the whole experimentation thing, and it was the only way to get him to listen to her.

"Doctor…" Amy said, stopping him in the middle of his vent. She inhaled deeply, suddenly feeling the urge to forget what she was about to do and run away, but she held her ground.

"One day, I will become somebody you trust." She started, looking straight into his confused, blue eyes. "Somebody you will trust with your life."

"How do I know you're not just saying that?" The Doctor asked, fidgeting slightly. Amy could tell he was nervous with the prospect that she was somebody from his future. "That Hunter Magma could have done anything to you on Platform One."

"I guessed you would say that." Amy chuckled. "You're so…ambivalent in this regeneration."

The Doctor's face paled. "How do you know about that?"

Amy smiled sadly. She reached around her neck and pulled off the string she had attached her key too while getting dressed for Cardiff. She outstretched her hand, the TARDIS key placed on the palm of her hand.

"You know it's the same one, don't even try to deny it."

The Doctor looked and her, then he looked at the key, then he looked at her again with a pale face.

"Oh."

* * *

 **A/N:** First on my list of agendas is an apology for Bwburke94! I'm sorry for getting your name wrong, I'm very bad with numbers, you see.

So the cat's out of the bag. The Doctor now knows that Amy's from his future at such an early point in the series too! I have my reasons for this, you'll find out part of the reason in the next chapter. Get ready for original plot guys! A quick note is that school is starting up soon, so I'm going to finish as many chapters as I can before that.

Thank you Aka-Baka Hoshi, Bwburke94 and Notwritten for your reviews! Congratulations to Bwburke94 for guessing that little factor, I was quite surprised when that popped in your review.

Next chapter will be the end of the Unquiet Dead and then after that, I'll be splitting each episode into two chapters each for practical purposes.


	12. Forwards

_Forwards_

* * *

 _It's feels like lately I've been living with a stranger."_

* * *

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who! I wish I did, but I don't._

* * *

Rose bit her thumb as she waited for the Doctor and Amy to join them downstairs. Amy had told her to go on ahead of them so she could talk to the Doctor. While she was very curious to find out what they were talking about, her need to be as far away from the egotistical Time Lord was greater. Gwyneth shot her a confident smile and Rose could only muster a weak one in return.

Strong, confident footsteps reverberated around the cold morgue. All heads shot towards the door where the Doctor strode through, unperturbed. He was followed by a furious Amy, who was stomping her way towards a nervous blonde shop girl.

"What happened?" Rose asked. Amy didn't reply. She opted to glare at the Doctor's back while he ran through the procedure with Gwyneth. The talk had not gone the way she had intended. In fact, it was quite possible that the Doctor distanced himself even more now with the knowledge that she was someone from his future.

Realising she wasn't going to get any answers from Amy, Rose wandered towards the Doctor in an attempt to reason with him one last time.

"The thing is Doctor, the Gelth don't succeed. I know they don't, I know that for a fact. I _know_ for a fact that there weren't corpses walking around in 1969."

Amy looked down morosely. She knew that, while there were fixed points in time, a significant amount was constantly in flux. If they did help the Gelth in taking over the dead, then there could very well be corpses walking around in the 21st century.

Amy frowned as she remembered something from her time. There were two strange cases when the dead came back to life. There was the 'Miracle Day' incident back in 2011 and then there was that strange case in 2016 when the dead rose as Cybermen. The Doctor always told her other important invasions had happened but they were wiped out by the cracks and were erased when time was rebooted.

She looked up to see a dazed and ill looking Rose and realised that the Doctor had explained what was going through her own head. Amy was about to walk over to comfort her when Dickens suddenly interrupted her.

"Doctor, I think the room is getting colder…"

She realised the author was right. While it was cold to begin with, the room was suddenly enveloped by a bitter cold that Amy drew her cloak closer over her body to cover the fleshy goose bumps that were growing on her skin.

"Here they come" Rose breathed shakily.

Amy held her breath as the Gelth poured into the room. They swirled around in the room for a tantalising few minutes, occasionally overlapping each other before settling under an arch and converting into their gaseous state.

" _You have come to help! Praise the Doctor, praise him!"_ the Gelth exclaimed and Amy watched as the Doctor squirmed, shuffling his feet uncomfortably.

"Promise you won't hurt her!" Rose cried.

" _Hurry, please! We have so little time. Pity the Gelth!_ "

Amy mentally noted how they avoided Rose's question, fuelling her suspicion.

She felt the Doctor's gaze on her but she refused to look at him. She heard him sigh and watched as he side stepped Rose and approached the Gelth.

"I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer, somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, alright?"

Even though she refused to show it, Amy was glad that the Doctor wasn't going to let the Gelth stay on Earth. He wasn't acting completely irrationally after all.

"My angels, I can help them live!" Gwyneth said triumphantly.

"Okay, where's the weak point?" The Doctor asked. Amy shot him a pointed look but he ignored her. She sighed, shifting towards Rose who was also glaring at the Doctor. Their heated conversation rushed back to her and Amy bit her lip. She knew the Doctor would have to live with the consequences of his actions if anything bad happened.

" _Beneath the arch!"_ the Gelth cried and Gwyneth moved and stood directly beneath the arch with a determined smile on her face.

"Beneath the arch…" Gwyneth repeated in confirmation. Amy's motherly instincts kicked in and her heart betrayed her. She was about to cry out in protest when Rose beat her to it.

"You don't have to do this!" Rose tried as she rushed over to the maid. Gwyneth looked at her with a reassuring smile, cupping Rose's cheeks and Amy's heart panged. She and Rose were most likely her first friends and Amy couldn't cope with the possibility that they would be the last thing Gwyneth would see.

"My angels…" Gwyneth breathed in reassurance, pushing Rose towards the Doctor slightly before steeling herself for what she had to do.

" _Establish the bridge!_ " The Gelth cried and Amy couldn't help but notice how eager they sounded. She decided they were excited to feel again, but her instincts were screaming and begging to run. " _Reach out of the void. Let us through!"_

"Yes!" Gwyneth breathed wistfully. "I can see you, I can see you! Come!"

" _Bridgehead establishing"_

"Come to me! Come to this world, poor lost souls!" Gwyneth cooed. Amy saw the Doctor's eyes light up with wonder and scowled. She felt a shaking hand grip hers and twisted her head to see Rose smiling at her uncertainly. Amy smiled back and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

The temperature was starting to decline and Amy was getting anxious. There was something wrong with the whole situation and she just wanted to drag the Doctor by the ear and get back to the TARDIS. She breathed and stood her ground. Amy Pond was not known for being a coward.

" _It is begun."_ The Gelth said with a tone laced with malevolence that Amy shivered and gripped Rose's hand tighter, moving the blonde girl behind her slightly. " _The bridge is made!"_

Gwyneth opened her mouth and a blinding light filled the air. When Amy's eyes adjusted, she watched in horror as blue gas streamed out of her mouth, convulsing before swirling around the room and filling the bodies.

"You call that a few?!" Amy cried in disbelief, pulling a stunned Rose backwards to avoid a swirl of blue gas that rushed past them.

" _She had given herself to the Gelth._ " The main Gelth said matter-of-factly. Amy was certain that if the alien had a body, she would have shrugged to prove her point. " _The bridge is open. We descend!"_

Everybody watched in shock and horror as the main speaker for the Gelth's gassy blue and green changed to a crimson red colour. The childlike innocence was gone and replaced by the look of a demon. The creature let out a chilling roar and the Doctor moved to stand next to Amy and Rose.

"You said you were few in numbers!" Dickens accused, looking at the creature in horror and fear.

" _A few billion_ ," The Gelth said casually. " _All of us in need of corpses_!"

Amy watched as the gas continued to pour into the bodies without relent. Several of the bodies started to rise and one of them fixed his dead eyed stare on Amy. It stood to move towards her but the ginger used the tip of her parasol to forcefully push it back in line with the other bodies, toppling several over like dominoes.

Amy heard Sneed plead with Gwyneth but was too busy trying to fend off the bodies. Sneed's pleading suddenly turned into demands and Amy was about to tell him to shut up when Rose cried out in horror. The horrible snap that filled the air told Amy all she needed to know.

"I think it's gone a little bit wrong." Amy heard the Doctor say solemnly.

"You don't say!" she bit sarcastically. "Got any more smart remarks, captain obvious?"

" _I have joined the legion of the Gelth_." Sneed stated in a tone not dissimilar to the child's. " _Come. March with us."_

"I'm fine as I am thanks!" Amy said cheerily as she was being pushed towards a wall by the converging bodies with the Doctor and Rose.

" _We need bodies!_ _All of you dead, the human race, dead."_

"Gwyneth, stop this! Send them back now!" the Doctor cried desperately.

" _Four more bodies…make them vessel for the Gelth."_ the leader demanded coldly. Amy noticed Dickens was by the door and looked like he was ready to leave them in his dust.

"Doctor, I…I can't! I'm sorry!" he cried. The Doctor ignored him as he continued to push Amy and Rose backwards. Dickens tried to apologise one last time before a stream of gas flew over his head and left him frozen in place.

"Run!" Amy yelled, snapping the author out of his stupor. He gave them one last solemn look before bolting out of the door.

Amy felt a hand on her stomach and was suddenly pushed backwards. She processed the little cellar as she watched the Doctor slam the gate shut and stood between her and a terrified looking Rose. The Gelth couldn't get in.

They couldn't get out.

" _Give yourself to glory."_ The Gelth lulled. " _Sacrifice your lives for the Gelth."_

"I trusted you!" The Doctor cried. His voice was a mixture of rage, sorrow and regret. "I _pitied_ you!"

" _We don't want your pity!"_ The Gelth cried harshly. " _We want this world and all its flesh!"_

"Not while I'm alive!" he cried in promise.

" _Then live no more_!"

"Oh, they're always so melodramatic." Amy sighed as she twirled her parasol, wondering how long she would last fighting her way to the door before they grabbed her and snapped her neck. She felt eyes boring into hers and looked up to meet the Doctor's solemn orbs. "What?"

"I should have listened." The Doctor said regretfully and Amy softened slightly. At least the events were affecting him. She would have been seriously worried if it wasn't. "You were right and now we're here."

Amy nodded and let out a sigh. "It's not all your fault. I shouldn't have snapped the way I did…"

"Even after the whole experiment thing?" The Doctor chuckled.

"Even after the whole _what_?" Rose turned her head sharply to fix the Doctor with a glare. Amy laughed breathlessly.

"Oh no, I still blame you for that."

"Listen, Amy, about the-"

"Don't." Amy said quickly, looking down. She could feel Rose's questioning eyes but ignored them. "I don't want to talk about it."

The Doctor was silent for a moment. When Amy opened her eyes, he nodded and turned to a scared Rose.

"I can't die!" she cried, her eyes fixed on the dead zombies. She turned to look at the Doctor with sad and pleading eyes. "Tell me I can't…I haven't even been _born_ yet! It's impossible for me to die! Isn't it?"

"I'm sorry." The Doctor said simply and Amy half expected Rose to be angry, but the girl just looked sad and resigned.

"But…it's 1869! How can I die now?" she asked in an attempt to reassure herself.

"Time isn't a straight line; it can twist in any shape. You can be born in the 20th century and die in the 19th. It's my fault, I brought you here. I brought you both here."

Amy tried to focus on the conversation but her head felt fuzzy. Her eyes started to droop as multiple memories flashed before her eyes.

" _I stole your childhood and now I've led you by the hand to your death. But the worst thing is, I knew. I knew this would happen. This is what always happens."_

Amy's head started to pound and her hands immediately went to her temples, trying to sedate the pain.

A hand slipped into hers and she met the Doctor's curious gaze. She smiled at him to reassure him. He nodded and looked over at Rose.

"I'm so glad I met you." He told her. Rose looked at him in surprise.

"Me too…." She said sincerely. The Doctor turned to look at her again.

"I'm glad I met you too."

"Likewise." She whispered, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

Amy's thoughts drifted towards Rory, her lost husband. Gwyneth couldn't find him, so Amy guessed that he was lost in time somewhere. She missed him very much, so when a voice started calling out her name alongside the Doctor's, she was thoroughly disappointed when Dickens appeared through the door.

"Turn _off_ the flame, turn _up_ the gas! Now fill the room, all of it, now!" he babbled and Amy looked at him incredulously. He ran around the room and fiddled with the lamps.

"Eh?"

"What are you on about?" Amy asked, finishing the Doctor's line of thought as they watched Dickens continue to weave and dart around the bodies, who were noticeably slowing down.

Dickens continued yelling and Amy watched as the Doctor's face lit up in recognition. "Brilliant, gas!" he cried, twisting around and pulling a pipe off the room.

"What, so we choke to death instead?" Rose asked incredulously.

"What are you going on about?!" Amy demanded. Her head was still fuzzy and she was finding it hard to breathe. She decided it was the effect of the gas.

"Fill the room with gas; it'll draw them out of the host. Suck them into the air like poison from a wound!" the Doctor cried in glee.

"I hope…" Dickens swallowed and Amy noticed the zombies were advancing on the anxious author menacingly. "Oh lord! I hope that this theory will be validated soon, if not immediately!"

"Plenty more!" the Doctor cried triumphantly, pulling another pipe off the wall. The sudden influx of gas made it impossible for Amy to not inhale a lungful. She coughed at the sudden inhalation as she left the cellar with the Doctor and Rose.

She heard screaming echoing around the room as the blue gas swished through the air before swirling into the lamps.

"It's working!" Dickens cried, looking very feint. Amy would have made a snarky comment but her head was still pounding and she was finding it very difficult to breathe.

"Gwyneth!" the Doctor cried as he ran towards the orphan who still stood beneath the arch, looking very dead. "Send them back! They lied, they're not angels!"

Amy wanted to make a snide remark but her energy was depleting rapidly. Her breathing was becoming uneven and the pounding was increasing. Dropping the parasol on the ground, she leaned against one of the autopsy tables to try and stand upright.

The Doctor was talking to Gwyneth, but Amy couldn't make out what they were saying because her ears were ringing loudly.

"I can't breathe!" Rose choked in between her coughs. Amy's ears turned bleary and she could hardly make out what they were saying.

Unable to sustain her weight any longer, Amy's hands slipped off the autopsy table and she fell to the ground. Her eyes closed slowly as she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

" _Ooh, I don't even know what the word is!"_

 _Amelia…_

" _Travelling with you…I love it!"_

" _No, say it! This time…say it."_

" _But it's huge!"_

" _Do I have your agreement?!"_

" _I suppose, after all that's happened…you really are my best friend."_

" _Score one for the hangers on!"_

 _Amelia!_

Amy opened her eyes. She couldn't see where she was. All she saw was blackness, endless blackness that stretched across an empty space like a blank canvas ready to be painted on. Her heart was beating rapidly. Her entire body felt light.

Suddenly, Amy felt a shift in the timelines, which she found strange. She was no longer in a deep black nothingness but a very large room. Looking down, she saw a familiar man with outrageous hair holding onto the hand of a person that shocked Amy. They were both screaming at something behind her. Confused, Amy turned around.

* * *

She awoke with a gasp, making Rose jump back in shock. She examined her surroundings. She wasn't in the house anymore, but outside on the snowy floor. She stood up and the building exploded.

Yelping, Amy grabbed Rose and pulled her down with her as shrapnel flew past her and singed her hair. The intoxicated smoke made her cough but her head was clearer than before. Looking up, she saw the Doctor dusting himself off, looking at the two morosely.

"She didn't make it." The Doctor said sadly and Amy realised he was talking about Gwyneth. She bowed her head in respect.

"I'm sorry." He said, looking away from Rose's scrutinising gaze. "She closed the rift."

"At such a cost," Dickens said sadly and Amy acknowledged his presence. "That poor child…"

"I did try Rose." The Doctor said and Amy realised that the girl was still looking at him in shock. She placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a sad smile. "Gwyneth was already dead. She had been for at least five minutes."

The girl's heads shot towards the Doctor. They looked at him in disbelief. No way was Gwyneth dead. She was talking to all of them from underneath the arch.

"I think she was dead from the moment she stood in that arch." He added morosely, looking at them with sad eyes. It was clear he felt he was responsible and for one of those rare times, Amy agreed.

It didn't make her feel any better.

"There are more things in Heaven and Hell than are dreamt in our philosophy…" Dickens said and Amy wondered if he was quoting a book or if he made it up on the spot.

"She saved the world." Rose said, shaking her head. "A servant girl…no one will ever know…"

The Doctor moved next to her. "Any luck?"

She sighed and shook her head. "He's not here."

The Doctor nodded in understanding, moving to stand beside Rose again. Amy turned and saw a man in clothes that were _very_ foreign to the time period sneering at her. She blinked, and he was gone.

The four then made their way back to the TARDIS. The machine projected soothing lullabies into Amy's head, obviously sensing her distress over not finding Rory and everything else that had happened throughout the day. The woman smiled and stroked the TARDIS absentmindedly.

"Right then Charlie-boy," the Doctor said fondly. "I've just got to go into my…shed."

"Funny." Amy said, smiling to herself at the hidden meaning. A memory of a strange man with a custard moustache and ice cream filled her head before it disappeared quickly. The Doctor smirked at her before inserting the TARDIS key in the lock and twisting it.

"We won't be long!"

Dickens and Rose started a conversation which the Doctor joined that Amy wasn't bothered to listen to.

" _The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Blue Elementals…"_ Dickens mused. "I can spread the word! Tell the truth!"

"Good luck with it. Oh, and it was nice to meet you!" The Doctor said as he shook Dickens' hand. "Fantastic!"

Amy and Rose then gave Dickens are brief hug before Amy walked into the TARDIS. She heard the scandalised tone in Dickens voice when he realised that all three of them were going in the box at once and laughed loudly. The TARDIS whirred in a manner similar to giggling and Amy smiled at the rotor. A few moments later, the Doctor and Rose joined her in the TARDIS, already in a conversation.

"In a week's time it's 1970: the year he dies." The Doctor sighed and Amy flinched at his tone. She remembered the sad and lonely form of Vincent and how Amy had at least managed to give his life a different kind of colour for a short period of time. "Sorry. He'll never get to tell his story."

"Oh no, he was so nice!" Rose frowned, looking at the patient, albeit confused form of Dickens on the TARDIS monitor.

"But in your time, he was already dead!" The Doctor exclaimed and Amy smirked as memories of the alternate reality came back to her. "We've brought him back to life! He's more alive now than he's ever been, old Charlie-boy."

"Every life is a pile of good things and bad things…" Amy recited sadly. The Doctor gave her a sad smile.

"Let's give him one last surprise."

The Doctor started to press buttons and the trio watched in glee as the TARDIS dematerialised in the face of a flabbergasted Charles Dickens.

"Now it's time to change." Rose said firmly. "This dress is far too heavy!"

"I dunno…" Amy teased. "This dress is pretty light."

Rose paused, looking at the Doctor uncertainly.

"Doctor…can I go see my mum?"

"What? Why?" The Doctor looked at the girl in surprise. Rose shrugged.

"I dunno…really want to, 's all" the girl shrugged. Amy wondered if there was more to it, so she decided to help her.

"I wouldn't mind." she added. "I need some supplies anyway."

"Alrighty then!" the Doctor said cheerily. "Get changed and we're off to the 21st Century!"

Even though they could always visit times that were dead and gone, they never really stuck around for too long.

They were always moving forwards.

* * *

 **A/N:** That's the end of the Unquiet Dead! Hope you guys enjoyed the plot I incorporated into this chapter, it's going to feature prominently later on in this saga!

* * *

 **Spoilers for series 9 ahead. Please skip if you want to be spoiler free.**

Now let's get onto the news I'm most excited about: Series 9 of Doctor Who. The trailers are amazing, the descriptions for _The Magician's Apprentice_ and _The Witches Familiar_ sound amazing and best of all, River Song is returning! At Christmas! That is like an early Christmas present! I want there to be Amy and Rory references, I really do!

 **End of spoilers.**

* * *

Anyways, the next chapter may not come out for a while because school just started up again and I'm being swamped left, right and centre. Then again, I'm known for procrastinating (just ask my beta!) so maybe more chapter will be out earlier, although I'm taking a break after World War Three to right up the finishing chapters of Series 1 and post them early 2016.

Thank you Aka-Baka Hoshi, TimeturnerJasmy, Bwburke94 and Notwritten for your reviews! You guys are amazing!

Until next time, guys!

* * *

The light was so blinding that Amy had to cover her eyes. She looked as endless rows of their enemies streamed out and formed.

Then he came. Amy watched in horror and disbelief as he fixed his eyes on her with a smirk.

"Hello Amelia."


	13. Errors

_Errors_

* * *

Amy grumbled to herself as she fished through her wardrobe looking for something that wouldn't give away what time period she was really from. It was quite difficult, considering she was a teenager at this moment in time. She paused at that thought and frowned. She would have to go by her married name on this trip if they were going to be staying long, which made her uncomfortable. Going by her married name reminded her of how far away Rory was from her.

Pushing the thought into a deeper part of her mind, she perked up when she found her signature pineapple dress. Grabbing her leather jacket and some leggings, she dressed herself and left her bedroom. Walking through the hallway, she immersed herself in her thoughts. Cardiff had been a dead end and Amy had not found anything that could lead her to Rory the last time she was in Rose's time period.

Right, she hadn't told Rose about Rory yet. She mentioned travelling with him and an accident, but Amy was fairly sure he died. Then she was thrown into premonitions and hunters and ghosts around Charles Dickens…on Christmas.

Stepping into the console room, she found the Doctor and Rose leaning on the console waiting for her, Rose looking more patient than the Doctor. When he spotted her, he immediately pulled a lever and the TARDIS flew into its standard unstable flight pattern. Amy clutched to a railing, grabbing an unsuspecting Rose who nearly crashed into the ground.

"Here we go, London. 2005!" The Doctor announced as they all clambered into an alleyway. Amy inspected her surroundings. It was a standard run down estate that looked deserted.

"Right time period?" she inquired after she finished scoping out the area. The Doctor shot her an annoyed look.

"Yes, of course it is." He said forcefully and Amy smirked.

"A bet," she started, gaining the curious attention of her two companions. "Land in the right time period, I'll hold off of teasing you for…ten minutes. And I'll give you ten quid. If we're in the wrong time period, you give me and Rose a spa day."

Rose perked up at the mention of a spa and the Doctor paused, his eyebrows furrowed as if he was weighing the advantages and disadvantages. Amy knew he would accept. He always did- competitive Time Lord Physiology and all.

"Fine, I'll take that bet." He said after a while and Amy jumped up and down a bit. A spa day was worth acting like a little kid.

"Oh, and I get to gloat for a period of a week."

"What!"

Rose chuckled as she looked around, a wistful look in her eyes. "How long have I been gone?"

Amy recognised the look in her eyes. It was the same look she had when she first stepped aboard the TARDIS. When the whole of time and space is presented, it's very difficult to return to normal life. She was lucky, she had Rory with her.

"About 12 hours." He replied, leaning against the door nonchalantly. "I believe somebody owes me ten quid"

Amy scoffed. "I need that money for supplies."

"Cheat." The Doctor muttered and Amy winked at him. Rose chuckled and walked off.

"Right, won't be long. I'm just gonna see my mum."

"Come to think of it, you should probably visit Mickey." Amy supplied. "Let him know you're not dead and all that."

"What are you going to tell them?" The Doctor asked and Amy could see the hint of annoyance in his eyes at the mention of Mickey. She smirked to herself.

"Oh, I don't know!" Rose teased, placing a finger to her lips as if she was deep in thought. "I've been to the year five billion…and been gone for like, what, twelve hours?" The Doctor chuckled and Amy and Rose shared a high five. "Nah, I'll just tell them I spent the night at Shareen's. See you later!" With that, the perky blonde ran off to reunite with her mother.

"Are you okay?" The Doctor asked as soon as Rose walked through a door and ran up the stairs eagerly. "You gave us all a scare back in the morgue."

"I'm fine." Amy assured him, leaving out the fact she had a _very_ strange dream about a familiar looking man. She was still trying to piece together what it meant. "Just have a bit of a headache. It's probably from all that gas."

The façade dropped. The Doctor nodded curtly before shuffling on his feet and refusing to make eye contact with Amy. She sighed heavily. He was pointedly ignoring her after she had told him that she was from the future. No, when she mentioned she was from _his_ future.

She watched him move away and kick a football and rolled her eyes. Football seemed to be an interest of his whichever regeneration he was currently on. She turned to look further in the alleyway and froze.

Staring right at her with a cruel sneer plastered on his face was the man that had watched her during the Auton crisis the last time she was in London. His face was still concealed beneath the pale white mask, deep holes gorged out to resemble eye sockets. He was dressed in a black hoodie and jeans and Amy realised just how young he looked. He was most likely in his twenties. Amy realised she didn't care about that. The way the man was staring at her was giving her chills.

"Doctor, this guy's looking at me." She called out. No response. Looking around, she saw the Doctor dart towards the door Rose went through mere minutes ago. He ignored her when she called out for him again. Huffing, she turned and saw the man had disappeared again.

Filing the thought to freak out about later, she ran after the Doctor. Whatever had got him worked up clearly had something to do with Rose, and Amy was worried the girl was in danger.

Darting up the stairs as fast as she could, she soon caught up with the Doctor, who had run straight through an open door. Ready to yell at him, she stopped when she saw the sobbing middle aged blonde woman clinging to a confused blonde teenager, who, Amy soon realised, was a _very_ confused Rose.

"It's not 12 hours! It's…er…12 months." Amy and Rose shot him incredulous glares as he scratched the back of his head. "You've been gone a whole year. Sorry."

"You managed to overshoot a whole year?" Amy asked, itching to slap him across the head before the thought sunk in and she grinned at Rose. "Free spa day!"

Rose managed to give her a weak smile while the older woman looked absolutely livid. She promptly walked up to the unsuspecting Amy and slapped her across the face.

"Ow!" Amy hissed as she rubbed her cheek.

"Think you're funny, do you?!" The woman demanded and Amy tried to shy away from her scrutinising glare. "Coming back after telling me that she's fine? Fine! She disappeared off the face of the Earth!"

"What are you talking about?" Amy asked, eyeing the woman suspiciously. She hadn't visited the woman. She was far too busy on Platform One and Cardiff.

"Oh!" The blonde woman exclaimed mockingly. "She's a liar too! Well, into the living room all of ya! I'm calling the police!"

* * *

If Amy was confused before, she was even more confused as she stood beside the Doctor and rubbed her cheek while listening to Rose's mother- who was called Jackie, nice name. Bit boyish- rant on about broken coffee tables and disappearing daughters. On the other hand, Rose looked sheepish and embarrassed as she hid her face behind her hand. The Doctor was shuffling on his feet, clearly as afraid of her as she was.

"The hours I've sat here! Days and weeks and months all on my own! I thought you were _dead_ and where were you? 'Travelling'! What the hell does that mean?!" Jackie yelled while Amy continued to rub at the bruise. She was fairly certain there was a mark.

" _You_ ask her!" Jackie yelled accusingly, turning to the poor police officer huddled in an armchair looking very awkward and shooting Amy sympathetic looks. "She won't tell me. That's all she says!"

"That's what I was doing!" Rose defended, looking like she was about to burst into tears.

"When your passport's still in the drawer?" Jackie asked incredulously, glaring Rose down. The blonde girl said nothing, opting to shrink back into her seat. "It's just one lie after another!"

"I meant to phone." Rose whispered. "I really did! I just…forgot."

"What, for a year? You forgot for a whole year? And I'm left sitting here after that phone call that made me think you were in danger? I thought you had been _kidnapped._ Why won't you tell me where you've been?" Jackie pleaded and Amy nudged the Doctor, who looked confused and annoyed. Amy gestured towards the mother and he shook his head rapidly. Amy scowled and was about to slap him when Jackie whirled around to glare at the Doctor.

"You were in her before she disappeared." She said, looking at the Doctor suspiciously and Amy wondered what on Earth the Doctor was doing in Rose's house. A few sneaky thoughts circulated through her head, but she dismissed them immediately. Now was not the time to be joking around.

"It may have been my fault." The Doctor said as nonchalantly as he could. "I sort of employed Rose as my…er-companion."

Oops. Amy raised an eyebrow at the seething form of Jackie Tyler. The Doctor really did pick the wrong choice of words.

"When you say 'companion'…is this a sexual relationship?" The policeman asked, looking at the Doctor more carefully.

"No!" The Doctor and Rose quickly denied, chuckling awkwardly. The policeman was about to say more but Amy glared him down. He shrank into his seat, looking chastised.

"Then what is it? Because you-you waltz in her all charms and smiles and the next thing I know, I have a broken coffee table-he was here when it broke, you see- and she vanishes off the face of the Earth! How old are you then? 40? 50! Did you find these two on the internet or something? I mean, I understand the redhead- she's quite pretty- but my daughter's barely of age! Did you go online and pretend to be a Doctor?"

"I am a Doctor!" the Doctor cried indignantly.

"Prove it! Stitch this, mate!"

The next thing Amy knew, there was a loud crack in the air and the Doctor was rubbing his cheek- a red mark present. Amy, Rose and the policeman all gaped at him while Jackie was breathing heavily. Amy was finding it very hard to be annoyed at the woman considering she was complimented by her.

Deciding to take matters into her own hands, the Scottish woman grabbed the Doctor's arm and turned to address the meek police officer.

"I think we should wait outside."

"I think that's a good idea." The copper said with a small smile. Jackie whirled to face him, anger plastered on her face.

"You're just going to let them go after all that?! What kind of copper are you? Oh wait, that's right. A horrible one, that's what!"

While Jackie Tyler indulged herself in another fit, The Doctor and Amy zipped through the door immediately, traitorously leaving Rose behind to avoid another rant from her mother.

* * *

"She slapped me." The Doctor said, sounding very small. "I never thought that would ever happen to me."

"She slapped me first." Amy grumbled, rubbing her sore cheek once again. "Why does she think I visited her? I wasn't even around for that long!"

"No idea." The Doctor said but Amy could tell that he was hiding something from her. She decided not to pursue it as Rose walked up to them and sat beside Amy wordlessly. They were on the roof of the Powell estate, overlooking what little they could see and the skyscrapers and buildings ahead.

"I can't tell her." Rose said after a period of silence. "I can't even begin. She's never going to forgive me." She sighed, turning to look at the Doctor with the hint of a glare in her eyes. "I missed a year! Was it good?"

"Not really. I'd say middling."

"You're so useless." Rose scoffed.

"I second that!" Amy added and the two girls laughed at the Doctor's expense.

"Well, if it's this much trouble, are you gonna stay now?" The Doctor asked. Amy could see the Doctor looked at Rose with hope and fear in his eyes while the girl was looking at the city.

"I dunno." Rose replied truthfully as she turned to look at the Doctor, who quickly averted his love-struck expression. "I can't do that to her again, though."

"Well, she's not coming with us."

They all chuckled at that thought.

"No chance!" Rose agreed.

"I don't do families." The Doctor said and Amy laughed loudly. The thought of this Doctor finding out she was his mother-in-law was absolutely hilarious. The two looked at her but Amy smiled and beckoned for them to continue their conversation.

"She slapped you!" Rose giggled. "The pair of ya, great big red marks on your cheeks."

"It hurt!" The Doctor whined.

"Your mother has one hell of a slap." Amy added.

"900 years of time and space and I've never been slapped by someone's mother." The Doctor sighed.

"I doubt it." Amy chuckled and the Doctor shot her an exasperated glare.

"You're so gay." Rose chuckled before she brought a topic into light. "When you say 900 years old…"

"That's my age."

"You're 900 years old?" Rose asked, looking at him as if he'd grown another head. Amy shifted uncomfortably, that meant this Doctor could be the regeneration before hers. Unless he was lying about his age…it wouldn't be the first time.

"My mum's right, that's one hell of an age gap." Rose said and Amy grinned slyly. She listened as Rose went on about being one of two people to know about aliens and the Doctor and frowned. She _wasn't_ the first. She was just one in a very long line who would eventually disappear and be replaced by someone else. Amy winced at how callous she sounded.

As soon as Rose finished talking, a loud sound caught their attention. Turning around, Amy gasped as a spaceship swooping over their heads and ducked. When she stood up again, the ship had crashed into Big Ben and was making a beeline for the Thames.

"No. Way." Amy gasped. She tried to rack her memory of a spaceship crashing into the Thames and came up short. Coming to the conclusion that this was one of the many things the cracks erased, she turned to see the Doctor as surprised and awe-struck as she was.

"Oh, that's just not fair." Rose grinned. The Doctor laughed gleefully, grabbing Rose's hand and tugging her along down the stairs. As soon as the gravity of the situation caught up to her, Amy grinned and followed them.

* * *

 **A/N:** That's where I'm leaving it for now! I consider this a teaser for _The Magician's Apprentice_ which is airing tonight. I am so excited!


	14. Dread

_Dread_

* * *

 _Warning: Family disturbances, hinted abuse. Angst! One instance of swearing and series 9 episode 1 spoilers in description._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who!_

* * *

By the time they arrived at the scene, Amy was already planning having a very long talk with both the Doctor and Rose about running across half of London just to reach their destination. Barriers had been put up and soldiers were herding annoyed civilians backwards. Profanity and curses were thrown into the air as the three stopped to catch their breath.

"It's blocked off!" The Doctor, ever the captain obvious, pointed out. Amy couldn't help but be annoyed that he had already caught his breath after all that running.

"We're miles from the centre!" Rose pointed out, looking at the chaotic scene as it unfolded. "The whole scene must be gridlocked. The whole of London must be closing down."

Amy shook her head, the beads of doubt forming in her stomach again. Ignoring the questions Rose fired at the Doctor, she pondered why the cracks had removed this certain event in time from history. She couldn't help but come to the horrible conclusion that she was a part of the events.

A brisk tap on her shoulder brought her attention to the Doctor, his face a mixture of impatience and curiosity. Not even a hint of concern.

"What?"

"We're going back to Rose's house to watch the whole thing on telly." He explained quickly. "Come on, shift!"

* * *

" _Big Ben destroyed as a UFO crash lands in central London. Police reinforcements are drafted in from across the country to control wide spread panic, looting and civil disturbance. A state of international emergency has been declared."_

Amy soon grew bored of listening to the new report and tried to gauge the reactions of her two friends. Rose looked concerned by the situation but the Doctor looked like he wanted to run away from boredom. She wasn't surprised. He couldn't manage watching the cubes so why did she expect this would keep his attention?

She soon found herself wrestling for the remote with the Time Lord, who insisted on changing to the American news channel and listen to their gossip.

By the time she had triumphantly snatched the remote from him and kept the TV situated on the news report, Jackie Tyler chose to go off on one of her rants. Amy almost jumped out of her skin when an unfamiliar voice started yelling at Rose. Turning around, she saw a woman sitting at the table, cup of tea in her hand. Where on Earth she had come from, Amy hadn't the faintest clue.

"Oi, I'm trying to listen!" The Doctor finally exclaimed. The woman seemingly ignored him as her voice raised another octave. Finally, Amy reached her limit.

"Could you keep it down?!" she yelled at her. The woman silenced but shot Amy a dirty look, one she reciprocated. Something the man said on the TV gained her attention.

"The president went missing?" She furrowed her eyebrows, deep in thought. "Hang on…"

Amy gasped loudly as a pounding headache hit her. Her hands crashed against her temples to stop the throbbing. The Doctor and Rose were next to her in an instant, both asking her what was wrong but their voices were starting to get muffled.

All she saw was a crack, a crack with an unearthly light exuding from it. She gasped at the sight and tried to calm herself from the panic attack she grew accustomed to when she was reminded of the darker parts of her childhood.

She remembered her seventeen year old self sitting with the rest of her class, engrossed by the news on the telly. Mels and Rory were by her side, equally engrossed, and both were commenting on possibilities of what was happening.

As soon and suddenly as the pain had started, it had ended just as quickly. She looked up to see Rose looking at her in concern and the Doctor looking at her in unshed curiosity. She had to bite her tongue to refrain from lashing out as him for not dropping the experimentation idea as he had hinted at back in Cardiff.

"I'm fine." She said quickly as soon as Rose had opened her mouth to speak. The blonde clamped her mouth shut and, after a significant amount of coaxing, made her way back to the her side of the sofa next to a man she hadn't noticed before. Looking around, Amy realised the flat had become quite crowded. When had that happened?

She looked down to see the Doctor struggling to snatch the remote from a giggling toddler. She smiled to herself slightly. This Doctor wasn't as horrible as she sometimes thought.

" _The body has been brought here, Albion Hospital, but the roads closed off- it's the closest to the river."_

Amy filed the name of the hospital for later. No doubt the Doctor was already planning a visit to said hospital to check on the alien body. Her attention was piqued when she saw a round military officer avoid the cameras and enter the hospital quickly.

Soon, the noise had risen to a point where she couldn't hear the telly anymore. She sighed when she noticed the Doctor was still staring at the telly. Curse that Time Lord physiology.

"Oh, look who decided to show her face!" Jackie suddenly exclaimed to another arrival- she was guessing from the opening of the door and the shuffling of a shed coat- but Amy paid no notice to it. "I wondered if we were ever going to see you again!"

"Oh, I know dear!" A woman's voice rang across the room and Amy straightened, a look of pure horror etched on her face. Her stomach was doing cartwheels and she felt old, unwelcome memories clawing their way up from the deepest part of her memory. It couldn't be her. "I thought I was never going to see me either!"

"What brings you here?" Jackie asked curiously. "And where's that boy of yours?"

"Oh, he's not mine!" The woman exclaimed, sounding absolutely disgusted and Amy finally turned to look at her. "A good thing too- I'd never have _my_ son running around as a nurse! Some people just don't understand norms."

"That's not fair." Jackie sighed at the woman, who shrugged indifferently. Her eyes drifted towards Amy and a sneer formed on her face.

"Can I help you love?" She asked in that sickly sweet voice she was accustomed to. "Mind you, you look just like that annoying girlfriend of the brat who kept pestering me."

Amy chewed on her lip, resisting the tempting thought of slapping the woman. Rory's stepmother- one of the worst people she had the horror of meeting.

"No, I'm fine." Amy finally replied with a forced smile. Memories of the screeching woman and the sobbing boy huddled in the corner with a bright red print on his face filled her mind. She could almost hear her and Mels screaming at the woman, calling her all sorts of names while Brian watched the scene helplessly.

She then remembered the date- 6th March 2006. The day this insufferable woman had packed up and left their lives for good. Amy was hoping she would never have to see the two faced bitch again.

She cottoned onto Rose's curious stares but dismissed them, signalling she'd tell her later. Not that she had any intention to share her memories. They were bad enough already.

The woman shrugged and turned her attention to the Doctor and proceeded to mock him about his ears. Amy swore that if she wasn't in a room with other people and she already had a precarious relationship with Jackie already, she would have slapped the daylights out of that woman. Deciding to take the sensible approach and not create a scene, Amy went outside to escape the tension.

* * *

A cool breeze brushed past and ruffled Amy's hair, soothing her heated skin. She forced herself to try and calm down. That woman had left her life for good and chose _today_ of all times to reappear.

She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she jumped slightly when Rose was next to her by the railing, looking out at the row of flats. The two watched in companionable silence. The estate was quiet barring the loud music and drunken yelling.

"How do you know her?" Rose asked suddenly.

"Thanks for sugar coating the question, Rose." Amy scoffed, trying to keep the situation light. Her small smile faded when she saw the intense questioning gaze on Rose's face- looks like she wasn't fond of the woman either.

"It's…" Amy started and sighed. A million words and thoughts were whizzing around in her head and she felt she wasn't ready to share the story with Rose. "It's complicated."

"It always is, isn't it?" the girl asked and Amy nodded silently. The silence continued and Rose finally sighed. "Not going to tell me?"

"No."

"Alright, I give up!" The girl conceded and turned to walk back inside. Amy shot her an apologetic look. Maybe she would tell the girl one day.

"Er- where do you think you're going?" Rose asked and Amy turned to see the Doctor had walked out of the house.

"Too domestic?" she smirked. The Doctor shot her a scathing glare and Amy fixed him with a sweet smile, one which caused him to roll his eyes.

The Doctor denied going anywhere but when he saw the disbelieving looks on both of their faces, he gave up. "History just happened and they're talking about where you can buy dodgy top up cards for half price! I'm off on a wander, that's all."

"There's a spaceship crashed in the Thames and you're 'wandering'?" Rose asked incredulously.

"He really can't lie, can he?" Amy mused conspiratorially. She remembered how antsy he was while he stayed with them during the Year of the Slow Invasion.

"I know!" Rose exclaimed and the pair giggled, making the ginger feel a bit better after the short encounter.

"Nothing to do with me- it's not an invasion!" The Doctor shrugged.

"What makes you so sure?" Amy was curious now.

"That was a genuine crash landing. Angle of descent, colour of smoke, everything! It's perfect!"

"So…?"

"So maybe this is it: first contact! The day mankind officially comes into contact with an alien race. I'm not interfering because you've got to handle this on your own."

The Doctor continued with his rant but Amy was half listening. She remembered what had happened now, probably due to living next to a crack for most of her childhood. She knew humanity did not come into contact with aliens today.

"What about Amy?" Rose's question snapped Amy out of her thoughts. She looked at the girl's hands to see a TARDIS key lodged firmly between her cupped hands while she looked at the Doctor suspiciously. "Doesn't she get a key?"

"I doubt he has one on him." Amy said as quickly as she could without drawing suspicion. She didn't feel the need to share her past with Rose. "Tell you what- I'll come with you on your 'walk' and you can give me a key on the way."

"I'd rather go on my walk alone, thank you." The Doctor said, shooting her a glare.

"We can't always have what we want Doctor." Amy said, linking her arm with his and turning back to a snickering Rose. "See you later, yeah?"

"I got some things to take care of over here." Rose replied. "See you two later!"

With a final wave, the two made their way down the stairs and strolled towards the TARDIS. People were yelling at them to join them and Amy tried her hardest to avoid eye contact while looking out for her strange stalker at the same time.

"So…" Amy started. "A spaceship crashes into the Thames, an alien body is dragged to the hospital and we happen to be walking towards the TARDIS."

"Beating around the bush are we?" The Doctor asked sarcastically as he fished his key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock.

"You're one to talk." Amy said, masking her bitterness as best as she could. The Doctor didn't comment, simply walking into the TARDIS. Exhaling an annoyed breath, Amy stormed in after him and slammed the door behind her. They had issues they needed to work through.

* * *

The Doctor opened the TARDIS doors, blocking out Amy's rants about hitting the TARDIS with a mallet. Peering over his shoulder, she could see they landed in a tight area. Barely squeezing past, she examined the linoleum floor and the bland, whitewashed wallpaper that was typically found in hospitals.

The Doctor made his way to the door and started to sonic the keypad. She watched in amusement as he pulled the screwdriver closer to him and _shushed_ it.

"Yes, cause shushing an almost inanimate object is a normal thing to do!" Amy snickered. The Doctor shot her an exasperated glare. "Then again, you're not quite normal, being Time Lord and all."

The Doctor said nothing, opening the door and freezing. Confused, Amy looked inside and froze too. Staring back at her were several confused soldiers. In the space of a few seconds, they had moved into battle positions and drew their guns, pointing them at the pair warningly. The Doctor raised his hands with a smile while Amy raised hers with a sigh. This always happened.

"Oops." He said.

"You're an idiot." Amy hissed out of the corner of her mouth.

Then a scream filled the air.

* * *

Rose was really getting annoyed with her mother and her friends, especially Leah. God knew how much she despised the woman. It seemed Amy did too, though she didn't know why. Leaning back in the couch and inspecting her fingernails, she was considering retreating to her room until the Doctor and Amy returned.

When the room fell silent, Rose knew something was wrong. Twisting her head towards the door, she saw the shocked boy and immediately felt guilty. She had forgotten all about Mickey after the whole fiasco.

"I was going to call!" Rose started lamely but stopped when she saw nobody was buying it.

"I think somebody owes Mickey an apology." Mrs Wong said knowingly.

"I'm sorry." Rose said sincerely.

"Not from you, Rose!" Mrs Wong snapped impatiently and her eyes drifted towards her mother who was fidgeting in the corner.

"Mum?" Rose looked at her mother in suspicion. "What have you done?"

* * *

 _A/N: Amy and Rory (and Mels) backstory! I read somewhere that Rory was apparently raised by a stepmother nobody liked and was dying to experiment with the idea, and this was the end product!_

 _The Magician's Apprentice was amazing! The dialogue between the Doctor and Davros was sizzling and I liked how Clara assumed command of the whole situation. It was also nice to see references to the past. Who said Moffat didn't do continuity?_

 _I'm also really sad Jenna's leaving the show. I grew to love Clara and I will miss her terribly. Amy's still number one though. Nothing will ever change that!_

 _Thanks Son of Whitebeard and Bwburke94 (I changed the description as you suggested!) For your comments!  
_


	15. Where I stand

_Where I stand_

* * *

 _Warning: Angst_

* * *

 _She can't find her find her place. She's losing her faith. She's fallen from grace; she's all over the place. She wants to go home but nobody's home. That's where she lies, broken inside."_

* * *

The clicking of the safety catches was enough for Amy to raise her hands instantaneously. She sighed as she realised that this always happened.

"Oops." The Doctor drawled, looking far too cheery for Amy's liking. He was holding his arms up too, but he looked amused at the soldier's antics.

"I hate you." she hissed from the corner of her mouth.

The scream reverberating around the almost empty hospital was enough for the Doctor to spring into action.

"Defence part Delta!" He ordered as he began to run in the direction of the scream, closely followed by Amy and the soldiers. "Come on, move!"

As they ran through the corridors and the soldier's started to branch off and investigate individual rooms in groups, Amy couldn't help but noticed how much the Doctor sounded like a soldier himself.

"You just happened to know the plan to get them to listen to you?" she asked incredulously, not impressed by his behaviour.

"Not now!" The Doctor yelled at her as he continued running towards a room with purpose. Amy wanted to scream at him but bit her tongue. He was right, now was not the time to lash out at him.

They found themselves in a lab. A quick inspection of the surroundings showed it was clean and empty. Then Amy's eyes drifted and she spotted the young Japanese woman huddled in the corner, shaking in terror. She immediately went straight towards the woman and comforted her, the Doctor right behind her.

"It alive…" she gasped out, looking at them with dead eyes that made Amy uncomfortable.

"Spread out!" The Doctor ordered. "Tell the perimeter it's a lock down." There it was again. That tone of voice that commanded power and expected to be followed to the letter. Amy knew about the Time War but she never knew his PTSD was so traumatic. She was reminded of the times her Doctor gave into his temper and became somebody so unrecognisable Amy made it her job to remind him who he was.

How would he act now? She was no longer by his side to remind him of his duties and she doubted River would travel with him. Her daughter was a woman who demanded independence and freedom. She remembered Demons Run and the conversation she had shared with River after she learned who she really was.

" _Without you two, he would just dig himself into a deep, dark hole. And I think it will be the death of him."_

She shook herself clear of her thoughts. Now was not the time to dwell on the past when there was a traumatised doctor clutching to her as if she was her lifeline.

"My god, it's still alive!" the woman breathed, looking disorientated and Amy was worried she would be sick. The Doctor was still barking orders and not doing a good job at calming her.

"Shh, it's okay." She said in an attempt to comfort her.

"I swear it was dead!" she looked on the verge of tears. Amy frowned when she noticed the traces of blood along her hairline.

"Do you know what it is?" The Doctor asked and the woman jumped, startled at being asked a question.

"Can't you tell from the injury or something?" Amy asked. She had seen him localise their position by a bit of blue grass and funny ground, this wasn't much of a stretch.

"What do you take me for?" The Doctor asked incredulously and Amy was about to give him a sassy retort when a loud crash from deeper in the lab alerted them all of a new presence. "It's still here."

The Doctor started edging his way towards the sound, Amy not far behind.

"What are you doing?!" She hissed.

"Trying to see what it is!"

"What if it attacks you? We don't even know what it is!"

"I want to know what it is first!" he hissed back and Amy sighed exasperatedly. The Doctor could be such a child sometimes.

"And then what are you going to do? Experiment on it?"

"We're really going into this now?"

Amy was about to shout at him but realised he was right. Grudgingly closing her mouth, she moved back to the still doctor, who was watching them curiously but was polite enough to not comment. The Doctor gave Amy one last glare before edging his way towards the table.

The air was tense and Amy held her breath. She watched as the Doctor reached the hiding place and peeked out. She froze when he froze in place. She was so certain that it was a horrible alien that she didn't know what to expect when a pig jumped up and ran out of the room squealing.

"Don't shoot!" The Doctor warned the soldiers as he jumped up and ran after the pig. Amy wanted to run after him but the doctor gripped her hand tighter.

"That was a pig." The woman whispered breathlessly and the two shared a short, winded laugh. "I'm sorry. It's just that...I mean I've seen aliens before but never a _pig_ alien."

"Oh, they're not all like that, trust me." Amy scoffed, looking at the woman interestedly. "So you work for UNIT?"

"No." The woman said quickly with an air of bitterness. Amy wondered if she hit a nerve. "I work for Torchwood."

"I see." Amy said with furrowed eyebrows, the name sounding strangely familiar. "Well, it's nice to meet you. My name is Amy."

"Nice to meet you Amy, my name is Toshiko."

* * *

Amy watched as the Doctor and Toshiko circled the autopsy table where the poor pig creature lay, dead. It had been shot by a trigger happy soldier.

"What do you mean that's not an alien?" she demanded as the Doctor kept his eyes on the pig, fixated and calculating.

"I just assumed that's what aliens look like." Tosh frowned, looking at the creature curiously. "But you're saying it's an ordinary pig from Earth?"

"More like a mermaid. Victorian showmen used to draw the crowds by taking the skull of a cat and gluing it to a fish and calling it a mermaid."

"That's horrible." Amy muttered under her breath.

"Now, someone's taken a pig, opened up its brain and stuck bits on. Then they strapped it in that ship and made it dive bomb. It must've been terrified. They've taken this animal and turned it into a joke."

"So it's a fake." Tosh concluded, looking far too interested in the matter for Amy's liking. She was still trying to rack her brain trying to figure out where she heard of the Torchwood organisation. "A pretend, like the mermaid…but the technology augmenting its brain…"

Amy was dragged along with the Doctor, leaving Toshiko to her rambling. They walked down the hall silently, the soldiers having cleared out and retreating back to their lounge. They entered the TARDIS and Amy immediately addressed the question at hand.

"Why would somebody use a pig and make it look like an alien?"

"I don't know. Whoever's done this has clearly done their research."

"The ship isn't from Earth though." Amy reminded him. "I know what you're thinking."

"Do you?" The Doctor looked more amused than annoyed. "Go on then, humour me."

"Well," Amy started. "You're thinking that, going by the evidence at hand, aliens are faking aliens. They came with that ship and hid it while they plotted something evil, you just don't know what yet."

"Close, we don't know if they're here for evil intentions." The Doctor reminded reproachfully before fidgeting uncomfortably. "You seem to know me quite well."

Amy said nothing.

"You miss him." He stated.

"I made my choice." Amy retorted. She didn't like where this conversation was heading.

"That doesn't give you the right to not miss him. What's on your mind, Amy?"

"It's just that…" she paused, not knowing where she was trying to go with this conversation. "It's just that I wish the Doctor was here."

"I _am_ the Doctor." He stated with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Amy's eyes flew onto him and she bit her lip, her temper bubbling away in the pit of her stomach. So much had happened in the day she just couldn't keep up. She left her best friend and daughter in the hope that she could be with her husband again, then she met two complete strangers- one of them being her best friend from the past who was unrecognisable in her eyes- and she had to deal with strange dreams, a stalker, ghosts at Christmas and an elusive hunter who looked like he knew more than he was letting on. Now here she was, talking to the Doctor about aliens and space pigs after an encounter with a woman who had caused her husband such grief as a child. It was too much for her to handle.

"Yeah, that'll be the day."

"What are you trying to say, Amy?"

"What I'm saying is that you may be the Doctor, but you're not _my_ Doctor." Amy said and chuckled silently. "There, I finally said it."

"Amy…" The Doctor said warningly, hints of the rumbling in his eyes as they darkened menacingly.

"Doctor, the way you were looking at that pig was the way you've been looking at me. You just see a mystery that needs to be solved, to be experimented on." Her voice quietened as she reached the next part of her train of thought. "You don't even see me as a friend."

"I've only just met you." He said coldly and Amy chuckled tonelessly. "It's true. You're seeped in a large quantity of energy you shouldn't have had contact with, let alone embody. I don't need your opinion on this if I'm trying to help. For once, would you _think_ of the bigger picture?"

"I once met somebody a long, _long_ time ago." Amy said drily, gazing into the Doctor's eyes, not intending to back down this time. "She called you a dark hero. I scoffed at her and dismissed the idea because I thought 'no, there's no way he could be a dark figure. He's the Doctor.' Now, I look at you, and I realise just how right she was."

"I know exactly how you always look at the bigger picture Doctor, but you were once such a warm figure despite being stooped in darkness and the blood of so many people and planet. I look at you and I don't see my best friend. All I see is a stranger."

"We're going back to pick up Rose." The Doctor said simply, turning his back to her and working on the console. Amy stood there in shock as she realised that he didn't even register what she had said. She had poured her insecurities on the person she saw as her best friend and it just flew over his head. She suddenly remembered what he had tried to warn her about so long ago, as if he was preparing her for today.

 _I'm not a hero._

A lone tear trickled down her cheek but she didn't move to wipe it away. She stood rooted to the spot as the realisation finally sunk in properly. She had brushed it off on Platform One because she had held onto that _tiny_ hope. Now it had dissipated and Amy Pond finally knew where she stood in the heart of this Doctor.

It was one of the most painful things she ever experienced in her whole life. Gone was her whimsical imaginary raggedy man, replaced by this dark, volatile man ready to snap without hesitation. She had never felt as broken as she did at that moment.

As soon as they landed, Rose came charging in heading straight for the Doctor. She paused and looked at Amy. Realising she was being stared at; Amy quickly wiped the tear away.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked cautiously. She turned her head to glare at the Doctor. "What did you say?!"

"Rose, it's nothing, honestly!" Amy quickly threw in, drawing both of their attention. She forced a smile to her face. "I just realised where I stand."

* * *

 **A/N:** Blimey, I'm so angsty! I'm really giving poor Amy a hard time here but I think it's crucial she had this period of realisation in a relatively calm part of the series where she can really stop and think, something she couldn't really do in previous chapters.


	16. Downing Street

_Downing Street_

* * *

"Alright, so we lied!" The Doctor said quickly in an attempt to draw Rose's attention to him. "We went to have a look but the whole landing's a fake!"

The Doctor went on to explain while Amy walked over to the jumpseat, trying to process through her newly found knowledge.

"My mum's here." Rose declared suddenly and her head shot up. Standing in the TARDIS doorway was Jackie Tyler and Mickey.

"Blimey." Amy croaked. "I never expected this to happen."

"Oh, _just_ what I need right now! Don't you dare make this place domestic!" The Doctor growled at Rose.

"You ruined my life Doctor." Mickey glared at the Time Lord, who whirled around to face the monitor while Amy sat on the jumpseat playing with her fingers. Way too much was happening for her to process. "They thought she was dead. I was murder suspect because of you!"

"See what I mean?" The Doctor sighed exasperatedly. "Domestic!"

"I bet you don't even remember my name!" Mickey challenged. Amy had to give it to him, the boy had guts.

"Rickey," The Doctor answered confidently, turning to look at Mickey with a smirk.

"It's Mickey." Mickey growled.

"No, it's Rickey."

"I think I know my own name."

"You _think_ you know your own name?" The Doctor smirked at the affronted teen.

"Just going to argue with everybody today?" Amy muttered. The Doctor glared at her before turning his attention to Mickey again.

"How stupid are you?"

Amy's jaw dropped when she saw the look on the Doctor's face. She had seen it before when River constantly flirted with other people. It was jealousy. The Doctor was jealous of Mickey. Despite everything that was happening, she couldn't help the little giggle that escaped her lips.

Rose suddenly cried out for her mother. Peering over at the TARDIS doors, Amy saw that the estranged Jackie had disappeared. There goes the plan of using Jackie to scare away the Daleks with the power of her gob.

"Don't go anywhere." She warned Mickey before turning to the Doctor with a pointed finger. " _Don't_ start a fight." She turned to look at Amy. "Watch them for me?"

Amy gave the girl a hearty thumbs up and Rose turned towards the doors. She was certain the girl was going to chase after her mother but instead the blonde turned and pointed another warning finger at the Doctor.

"Don't go around insulting her either." With that, she ran out the door.

The air in the TARDIS was thick with tension for the few seconds Rose was absent. Amy was inspecting her fingernails while the Doctor and Mickey shared a mutual stare down. Finally, Rose ran back inside with a furrowed brow.

"That was a real spaceship?"

"Yep!" The Doctor replied cheerfully.

"The alien in it was a fake though." Amy added.

"So it's all a pack of lies?"

"Never trust the news." The redhead advised with a sigh. They all turned their attention to the Doctor who was fiddling around with the TARDIS monitor.

"What is it then, are they invading?"

"Funny way to invade, putting the world on red alert." Mickey, who was standing a fair distance from them, said sardonically. The three turned to look at him in surprise.

"Good point!" The Doctor praised and Amy could see Rose smile a little bit at the pair's gradual acceptance. "So what're they up to?"

Amy was about to respond when the Doctor pushed her and pulled open a grate. She glared at him as he clambered inside and started to tug on wiring.

"What are you doing?"

"Bother someone else, I'm busy." He said quickly, fiddling around. Amy rolled her eyes and noticed Rose was standing on the other side awkwardly. She was about to walk over to her when she saw an equally awkward Mickey standing by the railing.

"So…" Amy said, making her way to the fidgeting boy. "How are you today?"

"Oh, yeah, just fine considering the girlfriend I was accused of murdering suddenly appears a year later with big ears and a ginger nut." Mickey hissed and Amy could see Rose wringing her hands in guilt from the corner of her eye.

"You know she feels guilty so why keep pushing on about it?" she asked. When Mickey said nothing, she smirked patronisingly. "Really, you don't have an answer? You're like a little kid!"

"I'm not a kid!" The boy looked affronted.

"Are you sure? You fooled me!" Amy hummed under her breath. She didn't want to come across as rude but she needed to vent her growing anger and Mickey was the closest target.

Mickey glared at her. "I saved your life, remember?"

That was all it took for her teasing to cease. Looking at the poor boy forlornly, Amy remembered just how terrified he was a couple of hours ago, trapped in an underground tunnel with plastic dummies and a giant glowing orange blob. She had travelled with the Doctor for so long, she had forgotten just how dangerous their lifestyle was.

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"…It's okay." Mickey said after a pause. Silence passed between the two of them before Amy playfully poked him on the forehead.

"Ow!"

"You're still a kid." Amy smirked before glaring at him. " _That_ was for your plastic dummy spitting out a cork at me in the restaurant."

"That's not my fault, I wasn't there!" Mickey hissed. "And I'm not a kid! Anyways, what's big ears doing down there any way?"

"Rickey," The Doctor called out to him from under the grate. Not for the first time, Amy noticed how vast the bottom was and wondered if she could get away with sitting under there to collect her thoughts after all this.

"It's Mickey." Mickey corrected in a biting tone.

"Rickey, if I was to tell you what I was doing to the controls of my frankly _magnificent_ time machine, would you even begin to understand?"

"He is so full of it." Rose muttered, sharing an eye roll with Amy.

"I suppose not…" Mickey trailed off.

"Well, shut it then." The Doctor snapped, clamping his screwdriver between his teeth and moving back under the cover of the grating. Mickey glared at him scathingly before moving on towards Rose.

"Oh, you're just insulting everybody today, aren't you?" Amy said conversationally, a scathing tone masked between her words. She pretended to inspect her fingernails to avoid the Doctor's scrutinising glare.

"Do you really want to have a go at me again?"

"Not really." She said truthfully. "Why choose a pig of all animals?"

"I don't know and I really hate not knowing!" The Doctor sighed.

"Tell me about it." Amy scoffed, rolling her eyes. The Doctor shot her a weary glare before returning to his work. After a period of silence, she looked up to see Mickey leaning to kiss Rose and held her breath.

A spark caught her attention and she watched as the Doctor jumped out the grate in triumph. She watched as Mickey pulled away quickly from Rose as they both focused their attention on the Doctor. Amy smiled at that. The whole exchange reminded her of when it was just her, Mels and Rory. Rory would always try to kiss her but was always interrupted by Mels and the worst thing is that Amy was grateful for the distraction. She had spent so long running away from Rory's arms, now all she wanted to do was jump into them and never let go.

Shaking her head and sighing wistfully, she joined the three by the monitor and focused her attention on that.

"Patched in the radar, looped it back twelve hours so we can follow the flight of the spaceship. Here we go…hold on…" Pause. Nothing happened. Frustrated, the Doctor whacked the screen and an image appeared. "That's the spaceship on its way to Earth see? Except…hold on…do you see?"

"Oh, I see." Amy said as she watched the image.

"What? What do you see?" Rose frowned, trying to determine what her two friends could see.

"The spaceship did a slingshot around the Earth before it landed." The Doctor explained.

"What does that mean?" Rose asked, not following.

"It means it came from Earth in the first place." Amy frowned. "I was right. They did come with that ship and used that pig as bait."

"Which means these aliens have been here a while." The Doctor concluded. "Question is… what have they been doing?"

"You sound just like him!" Mickey accused, looking at Amy through narrowed eyes. Everybody ignored him. The Doctor started flipping through various news channels on the monitor catching the curious attention of Mickey.

"How many channels do you get?"

"All the basic packages…" The Doctor mumbled as he continued flicking through the monitor. The TARDIS huffed at the man and Amy smirked.

"You get the sports channel?" Mickey asked excitedly.

"Yes, I get the football." He assured Mickey quickly. Rose and Amy rolled their eyes.

"Boy, you really are obsessed with football, aren't you? Just like Rory and Top Gear!" She mumbled before freezing. She hadn't mentioned Rory by name to Rose yet. Thankfully, the comment seemed to have slipped over the blonde's head.

"Tell me about it, after the shop blew up, all he did was try to persuade me to go to the pub with him so he could watch the match."

"Men are so annoying!" Amy and Rose said simultaneously before bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Hold on, I know that lot." The Doctor said suddenly and the girls turned their attention to a bunch of military people on the screen. "UNIT: United Intelligence Task Force. They're good people!"

"How do you know 'em?" Rose asked. Amy knew. She had met Kate and had been to their base one time. She still remembered Kate's offer of her own raven of death. She had grudgingly declined due to the moaning of both the Doctor and Rory.

"Cos he's worked for them," Mickey exclaimed and everybody whipped their heads to look at him in surprise. Mickey then rambled on and soon got into another argument with the Doctor while Amy was deep in thought. So the Doctor worked for UNIT…that explained a lot.

"They wouldn't recognise me." Amy tuned into the conversation again and put the comment down to regeneration. "I've changed a lot since then…" he glanced at Amy cautiously, as if he was worried she would spill his secrets. "Besides, the world's on knife edge. There are aliens and fake aliens. We want to keep _this_ alien out of the mix."

"Oh goodie, we're going undercover!" Amy said, sarcasm dripping heavily from her voice.

"You're about as cheerful as Rose." The Doctor rolled his eyes at her. "Besides, it's better to keep the TARDIS out of sight. Rickey, you've got a car, you can do some driving!"

Mickey started to protest as they all turned and walked towards the TARDIS doors.

"The roads are clearing. Let's go and have a look at that spaceship."

As soon as they exited the doors, a blindingly bright search light shone in their faces. Chaos ensued as several police cars and trucks swerved the corners and policemen and soldiers streamed out and pointed their guns at them.

" _Do not move!"_ A voice from the roaring helicopter above ordered. Several dogs started barking and Amy rolled her eyes, completely calm. This had happened far too many times in her life. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mickey run away quickly, closely followed by two officers.

"Nice to feel welcome!" The Doctor hummed cheerfully.

"You're not helping!" Amy hissed out of the corner of her mouth.

" _Raise your hands above you head, you are under arrest!"_

Amy slowly raised her hands, closely followed by the Doctor and Rose. Scuffling caught her attention and she turned her head to see Jackie struggling against several officers. She was crying out for Rose but the blonde seemed preoccupied looking at the helicopter curiously.

"Take me to your leader!" The Doctor said cheerfully. "I've always wanted to say that?"

"Oh really?" Amy hissed, stamping on his foot.

"Ow!"

The three were quickly escorted to a large black limousine and rushed inside after a quick pat down to check for any weapons. When a soldier lingered on her body, Amy sent him a glare that had him walking away sheepishly. Smirking triumphantly, she clambered in and sat on the right side of the Doctor, Rose close behind.

"This is a bit posh." Rose said wistfully, looking around the posh car. "If I knew being arrested was gonna be like this, I'd have done it ages ago!"

"We're not being a _rrested_ , we're being escorted." He corrected without looking at either of them. Amy traced her finger over a swirl on the window.

"Where to?" She heard Rose ask.

"Where do you think? Downing Street!" He exclaimed, chuckling and folding his arms. Amy's hand froze on the window pane as she turned to look at the Doctor in surprise.

" _10_ Downing Street?" Rose gaped.

"That's the one!"

Rose and Amy jumped up and down at that, giggling like schoolgirls. They were going to _10 Downing Street._ Amy's grin started to crease into a frown as she remembered that Downing Street had been blown up. Now that she was actually a part of events, she wondered what had happened.

"Like it said on the news, they're gathering experts in alien knowledge, and who's the biggest expert of the lot?"

"…Patrick Moore?" Rose teased.

"Well, apart from him!" The Doctor cried indignantly and the two girls shared a giggle.

"Ooh, you're full of it!" Amy said in between her giggles.

"I don't know what you mean." The Doctor said flatly, but that only added fuel to Amy and Rose's chortles.

"Ah, don't you just love it!"

"I'm telling you- Lloyd George, he used to drink me under the table!" he sighed. "Who is the Prime Minister now anyway?"

"How should I know, I missed a whole year!" Rose said, her voice carrying some bite.

"No, I don't know!" Amy said instinctively as soon as Rose finished talking. "Why do you want to know anyway?"

"There's this pressure in the air. Something bad is going to happen." The Doctor explained with a frown, eyebrows furrowed. Amy and Rose shared cautious looks at the statement. Amy knew for a fact that the Doctor was never wrong when he had a bad feeling about something.

* * *

As soon as they pulled up at Downing Street, the Doctor handed Amy his leather jacket. The ginger took it with a raised eyebrow.

"You never know who could be watching right now." He said and she nodded quickly. The last thing she needed at the moment was a paradox.

The Doctor and Rose jumped out immediately, quickly followed by Amy who pulled the hood over her hair and tried to keep her face hidden. Paparazzi were screaming and flashing cameras and Amy wasted no time making a beeline for the building. As soon as she was inside, she tore the jacket from her face and shoved it in the Doctor's expectant hands.

"It smells of bananas in there!" she yelled accusingly. The Doctor said nothing, opting to look around the building. People were talking in hushed whispers and pointing at the trio and Amy wondered why.

"My leather jacket's better." The Doctor finally said and Amy mock gasped.

"Take that back right now!"

"Why? It's the truth. Makes you look like a human." He teased and Amy playfully slapped his arm. Maybe they got get past their issues with time.

"Ladies and gentlemen, could we convene?" A man dressed meticulously in a suit called out crisply, drawing the attention of everybody in the room. "Quick as we can please. It's this way on the right and can I remind you, ID cards must be worn at all times."

People started to shuffle towards the designated area while meticulous man turned to the three of them holding an ID card.

"Here's your ID card. I'm sorry but you're companions do not have clearance."

Amy and Rose looked at each other nervously but the Doctor remained calm, looking at the shuffling man square in the eyes.

"I don't go anywhere without them." He said calmly, taking the ID card and looping it around his neck.

Meticulous man started to shuffle awkwardly again. "You're the code nine, not them."

" _You're_ the one who sent a platoon after us in a local area." Amy hissed incredulously. The man looked down bashfully and refused to meet Amy's scrutinizing glare.

"Don't mind her, she's ginger." The Doctor apologized cheerily. "She's got a right temper on her, honestly." Amy kicked him.

"I'm sorry Doctor…it is Doctor, isn't it? They'll have to stay outside."

"They're staying with me."

There was a few heated seconds as the Doctor and Amy glared at meticulous man harshly. A small cough drew their attention and they could see the petite blonde shuffling awkwardly at their gazes.

"It's alright, you go." She reassured the Doctor, pulling Amy by her leather jacket until she was standing next to her. "We'll stay out here and wait."

"Speak for yourself!" Amy yelled incredulously. I w-"

"Excuse me." Another voice interrupted their conversation and Amy turned to see a middle aged woman with brown hair totter up to them. Amy couldn't help but wonder if she knew the woman. She looked awfully familiar. Apparently she was known by meticulous man as he started to yell at her while the Doctor looked for Rose's assurances.

"I just need a word in private!" The woman insisted and Amy titled her head. The poor woman looked terrified. Meticulous man yelled at her one more time before turning towards Amy and Rose.

"I'm taking you two to security."

"It's alright!" The woman said with a cheery air, shoving the man quite roughly out of the way. "I'll look after them. Let me be of some use!" Before meticulous man could complain, the strange woman grabbed her arm and practically dragged her and Rose along. "Walk with me. Just keep walking…"

The woman dragged them past the door where the meeting was taking place and took them down another path entirely.

"That's right…don't look around!" she chided an uncomfortable looking Rose, who quickly snapped her head away. The woman pulled out her card in such a manner it made Amy gasp. There's only one woman who would pull out her card like that. "Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North."

Amy couldn't stop her jaw from dropping. This was the future prime minister! The strange one, if Amy recalled correctly. She only had one successive term before she vanished completely, ranting and raving about some Doctor on Christmas day…

Wait.

"This friend of yours…he's an expert, is that right? He knows about aliens?" Harriet asked them anxiously.

"Why do you wanna know?" Rose asked, suddenly on the defensive.

Amy was surprised and could only watch helplessly as the woman who would become Prime Minster burst into tears.

* * *

Amy wrinkled her nose in disgust as the three woman crowded around the dead skin, leftover brain, blood and muscle still leaking out of the opening at the top of the original owner's head.

"They turned the body into a suit as a disguise for the thing inside!" Harriet blubbered between her sobs. Amy cooed comfortingly and patted her shoulders. Why was everybody introduced to aliens so horribly?

"It's alright, we believe you!" A pale Rose assured. "It's alien…they must have some _serious_ technology behind this…"

"Just like the pig and the spaceship." Amy said, throwing in an analogy.

"Yep, if we could find it…" Rose trailed off. Amy looked around until a stifled scream made her whip her head towards Rose. Landing on the floor in an undignified heap was the dead body of a man who Amy guessed was the Prime Minster.

"As if this day wasn't bad enough…!" Amy muttered, leaning over the body to inspect it.

"Harriet!" Amy groaned inwardly when she recognised the voice as meticulous man. "For god's sake, this has gone beyond a joke! You cannot just wander-" he paused when he saw the dead body on the floor. "Oh my god, that's the Prime Minster!"

"Yup, and he's been murdered by someone. Or something…" she muttered darkly, he face bleak.

"Oh…" A voice reverberated around the confined walls of the room and Amy leapt off the ground and faced the door where a large woman in a blue suit was grinning psychotically at them.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Has someone been naughty?" the woman drawled, shadows flickering and dancing around her face in a dangerous dance. She stepped into the room and the air suddenly felt stifled and malicious. Amy looked her up and down. She wasn't anything special, just a round lady with cropped blonde hair and a blue suit.

"That's impossible!" Meticulous man hissed. Amy pulled Rose behind her. "He left this afternoon. The Prime Minster left Downing Street, he was driven away!"

"And who told you that, hmm?" The woman smirked, slinging her handbag off and placing it on the table. Amy pulled Rose closer to her back and started to move backwards. "Oh, that's right, me!"

Amy watched in bemusement as the woman started to pull at a zip around her forehead. Blue light started to fill the light and green hands started to crawl their way out of the top of her head. Rose gripped her hand tighter as the body crumpled to the ground and a large green alien stood in the middle of the room.

It was green, tall and very big. Huge, black eyes blinked at them and limbs hung off the body in an awkward kind of grace. The skin itself looked leathery and the nails were unnaturally long and Amy didn't doubt their slicing abilities.

It grabbed meticulous man and held him in the air, squeezing his neck and forcing his breath to halt.

"Let him go!" Amy yelled. The alien complied and dropped the dead body of the man on the floor. Looking around, Amy realised with horror there was no way out. They were trapped.

The alien stalked towards them slowly and menacingly and the only thing Amy was worried about was the teenager girl currently squeezing the life out of her hand.

* * *

Tosh walked back into the Hub to find everything as normal as Torchwood could manage. Suzie was running some programs and finishing off some notes while the new boy, Owen, was curled up on the sofa clearly still suffering from his hangover. He was supposed to stay at home for the day.

"You're back already?" Suzie asked, not sounding very surprised. Tosh smiled shyly.

"Yeah, UNIT took away the alien body so there was no reason to stay in London, so I decided to come back using that flight corridor device we found. I think I may have broken it."

"I see." A voice said behind her and Tosh jumped, startled. The chortle of their captain rang across the hub as he looked at the poor girl in front of him.

"Sorry Tosh, I didn't mean to scare you." Jack apologised. A flustered Tosh quickly disputed the apology, stating it was 'nonsense' and she should have been scared so easily. Jack noticed there was something she wasn't saying, as she was constantly fidgeting and opening her mouth as if to say something but then clamped it shut.

"Is there something on your mind?" Jack coaxed gently. Tosh wasn't like Suzie; she was more delicate and should be treated as such. That didn't mean she wasn't a good operative.

"Yeah, there is, actually." Tosh started, looking very nervous. "I accidentally mentioned Torchwood by name."

"Toshiko!" Jack admonished. He was disappointed that Tosh out of all people would make such a silly mistake.

"I know and I'm sorry!" she blurted as she walked over to her computer. "It was such a silly mistake, I'll know the name of the person, I can just track them down and retcon them!"

Jack sighed. "It's not that important Tosh, I'm sure that person can do anything with the name alone." He paused. "But you said you know their name?"

"Yes, I do. It was an Amy something." Tosh replied and Jack froze. It was probably just a coincidence but how many Amy's were there that would be at the scene of the alien crime? His hand tightened around the shining necklace clamped across his neck, the single letter 'A' etched onto the front.

"Was she with anyone?" He asked, cursing his voice for cracking. Tosh raised an eyebrow at this but said nothing. "Yes, a Doctor. Not ours, mind you, he looked completely different. This one had big ears and a leather jacket."

"Right…" Jack breathed. "Hey, Tosh, why don't you take a break? You just got back and I can search for the woman for you."

"Are you sure Jack?" Tosh's eyebrows shot up straight to her hairline. "I don't mind, really, it's a simple task!"

"No, it's ok." Jack said before his faced darkened slightly. "Don't make me make that request an order."

"Ok, if you're sure…" Tosh trailed off uncertainly. A groan from Owen caught her attention and she flew to the sofa. She honestly had no idea why and how the man managed to make it to the hub.

"You're right, Tosh, he's not our Doctor." Jack said quietly to himself as his grip on the necklace tightened even more. Memories of the Doctor, Amy and Rose filled his head and a smile broke across his lips. "He's _mine."_

* * *

 **A/N:** And that's the end of Aliens of London! I decided my schedule would be to upload one chapter every Saturday until the end of World War Three, where I'll take a break and finish off some chapters so I can have a steadier schedule.

Let it be known the magnificent AshRain114 has returned! I was so happy when I stumbled across her profile two nights ago. She really hasn't lessened in her writing quality at all!

I found the Witch's Familiar amazing! Missy and Clara's rapport was just amazing to watch as well as the Doctor and another character whom I shall not mention or disclose for spoiler reasons.

I have a surprise for people for the next episode, don't know how many chapters currently but it happens towards the end, so be ready! Until next Saturday!


	17. Hannibal!

_Hannibal!_

* * *

Amy stumbled backwards as the psychotic alien advanced on them. She could feel Rose trying to suppress her shaking as Harriet jumped in front of them both. She looked around desperately. The chairs were too far away to reach without the green thing catching her and there was nothing else she could use.

Amy gulped as the alien raised its claw to slice them open. Amy prayed for a miracle, so when the green thing did a double take and was enveloped in crackling electricity, she quickly pushed Rose and Harriet out of the board room. Grabbing the chair, she sent it crashing down on the alien and watched as it landed on the ground with a painful thud, still crackling with electricity.

"I've bought us time." She breathed heavily as soon as she caught up to Rose and Harriet, adrenaline pumping in her veins. She looked down and raised an eyebrow at Harriet's choice of footwear. "Harriet, with all due respect, but we're running away from a green psychotic alien that has horrible cannibalistic tendencies. I think wearing high heels and getting a broken neck won't help."

Harriet nodded and toed out of her shoes before gasping. "They're still in there! The emergency protocols, we need them!"

Before they could run into the room, the creature ran out with a furious roar. The three immediately spun around and ran as fast as they could, the green alien hot on their heels. They ran into another room and Rose quickly slammed the door shut. This was one of the many times Amy wished she had a sonic screwdriver.

She let out a small gasp as something inside her mind snapped. Closing her eyes, visions of a different timeline resurfaced, alone for thirty six years, with nothing but a disabled handbot for company and sonic probe the only means of hacking. Her mind was suddenly filled with a whispering that was anything but soothing and a crimson red glow.

Before she could think about the visions, the door flew off its hinges and Amy narrowly ducked as splinters flew in her direction. Scrabbling to her feet, she pushed Rose onto her feet and shoved her through another door as the creature let out another roar.

They continued running, adrenaline coursing through their veins as they passed unfamiliar territory. Going by Harriet's expression, she had no idea where they were either, which was understandable. They _were_ in 10 Downing Street. Amy just hoped they could outrun and eventually lose the alien.

No such luck. Despite its lumbering appearance, it was surprisingly lithe and agile, keeping up with the three women as they ran. They soon came across a door. Rose tried tugging on the handle but it wouldn't open.

"It won't open!" Rose screeched. Amy considered kicking the door down, but eventually vetoed the idea. The whole point was to hide from the alien, who had finally caught up to them. It started to advance towards them when the elevator pinged and the doors open.

The alien looked thoroughly confused by the contents inside the elevator while Amy wasted no time pushing Rose and Harriet through another door. They continued running along the hallway until they came across another door. Praying it wasn't locked; Amy tugged on the handle and cried out triumphantly when it opened.

The three found themselves in a nicely furnished room with only one protruding door. Tugging on the doorjamb, Amy hissed in frustration when it wouldn't open.

"Hide!" Rose quickly suggested, diving behind the sofa. Amy quickly joined her, having no idea where Harriet went.

"Where's the Doctor when you need him?" Amy whispered scathingly. "If he doesn't sort this out, I'm going to kill him."

"Be quiet!" Rose shushed her as the sound of scraping feet became audible. The door creaked and Amy's breath hitched in her throat. The scuffling on the floor grew louder and Amy fought to control her breathing.

"Oh, such _fun!"_ the psychotic green thing giggled insanely. The voice sounded vaguely human, but was overlapped with a horrible squeaking that made her cringe. "Little human…where are you?" the scuffling and obnoxious wet noises alerted Amy that the creature was patrolling the room. "Sweet children…where are you? Sweet little humeykins…come to me. Let me kiss you better. Kiss you with my big, green lips."

Rose darted up and ran to the curtains before Amy could grab her. Cursing, she slowly slinked back into her hiding spot as she heard the alien turn. Her breath lowered as she heard the door open again.

"My brothers!" the alien that sounded strangely like a female said delighted. Great, now there were _more_ psychotic aliens.

"Happy hunting?" Another alien asked, sounding distinctly male than the one that had chased them.

"It's wonderful!" Their hunter laughed with glee. "The more you prolong it, the more they _stink_."

Amy furrowed her eyebrows. Mentally filing away the fact they were particularly sensitive to smells, her hand lingered over her pocket where her bottle of perfume lay. She didn't have the time to spritz herself in it and it just might have saved her life.

"Sweat…and fear…" a third voice joined the fray, sounding equally delighted. Amy realised she was sweating and wiped it away quickly. Fear crept up her stomach and she fought to not scream out in fright.

"I can smell an old girl…stale perfume…and brittle bones." For a moment, Amy thought the aliens were talking about her and felt very offended until she remembered Harriet was also in the room.

"I smell two ripe youngsters, all hormones and adrenaline. It's strange. One of them stinks in time while the other…smells like she is preparing. Nevertheless, they're fresh enough to bend before they snap!"

Rose's scream pierced the air and Amy immediately jumped up, grabbing the girl and pulling her to safety as a claw swiped the area she was standing at mere moments ago. Harriet jumped in and ordered the aliens to kill her first and Amy had to admit that the woman was brave.

A loud crash rang across the air and the Doctor stormed in with a fire extinguisher and blasting it at the nearest aliens. Rose jumped up and grabbed the curtain rack, sending it crashing down on their female predator. With Harriet's help, Amy managed to tip the couch and send it crashing on the two male aliens.

"Follow me!" The Doctor ordered. He grabbed Rose's hand and dragged her along, Harriet close behind. Amy slammed the door in the alien's face before sprinting to catch up with them. "Head for the cabinet room!"

"The emergency protocols are in there, they give instructions for aliens!" Harriet exclaimed excitedly.

"I like you!" The Doctor grinned before he frowned. "Who the hell are you again?"

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North." She answered confidently, flicking her card in the Doctor's face as they ran. Amy rolled her eyes at the woman's habit.

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

* * *

As soon as they reached the cabinet room, the Doctor quickly grabbed a decanter.

"What are you doing?" Amy hissed.

"Improvising." He hissed back as the three aliens charged towards them, two of them more sluggish than the one in front. Amy guessed the slowest were the two she knocked over. "Ah, ah, one more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of the alcohol. Whoof! We all go up in flames, so back off."

Amy watched the aliens move backwards slightly, drawing off the attack as soon as the threat left the Doctor's lips. It was then that she allowed herself to breathe.

"Right then," The Doctor sighed, dropping the bottle slightly. "Who exactly are the Slitheen?"

Amy raised an eyebrow at that.

"They're aliens!" Harriet stated the obvious, clinging to the security protocols tightly.

"I got that, thanks." The Doctor bit condescendingly and Amy stepped on his foot.

"Who are you, if not human?" One of the Slitheen brothers asked. Amy raised an eyebrow, wondering how the Doctor managed to let the aliens know he was an alien himself.

"Who's not human?" Harriet asked, turning to Rose for an answer.

"He's not human." Rose replied casually, keeping her gaze fixed on the Slitheen trio. Amy noticed Harriet's jaw drop in shock.

"He's not human?" she gasped out, gawping at the Doctor.

"He's not human." Amy confirmed. "Now shush!"

"Sorry." Harriet whispered sheepishly before focusing on the aliens again.

"Thank you." The Doctor sighed before turning to the Slitheen, stationary aside from the occasional blinking. "So…plan?"

"But he's got a Northern accent!" Harriet interjected accusingly. Amy and Rose shared an exasperated look.

"Lots of planets have a North!" They both recited simultaneously with a dramatic sigh. The Doctor waved a hand, warning them to quieten down while he dealt with the Slitheen.

"Come on!" He yelled, holding the bottle up threateningly. "You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea. It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government…what for- invasion?"

Amy wondered what exactly happened in the meeting downstairs that enlightened the Doctor with so much information.

"Why would we invade this godforsaken rock?" One of the male Slitheen spat lividly.

"Oi!" Amy cried out indignantly.

"Then something bought the Slitheen race here. What is it?"

"The Slitheen _race_?" One of the aliens drawled before they burst out laughing- which sounded like an old man rasping.

"Slitheen is not our _species_ ," One of the aliens said as if it made everything clearer. "Slitheen is our _surname."_

"It's your what?" Amy's eyed widened.

"Jocrassa Fel Fotch Passameer Day Slitheen- at your service."

Amy involuntarily snickered under her breath, which earned her a growl from the one who had announced himself as…whatever it was.

"So you're a family?" The Doctor asked quickly, giving Amy a sideways glare. The redhead quickly stifled her chuckles and eventually sobered.

"It's a family business!"

"Then you're out to make a profit." The Doctor concluded. Amy could sense Rose and Harriet bristling in offence. "How can you do that on a 'godforsaken rock'?"

The Slitheen glanced at each other and Amy wondered if they could communicate telepathically. Finally, they turned and looked at the bottle in the Doctor's hands. "Ah…excuse me? Your device will do what? 'Triplicate the flammability…?'"

"Is that what I said?" The Doctor asked nervously and Amy resisted the urge to slap him across the head.

"You're making it up!" The green skinned alien accused.

"Ah well! Nice try…Pond!" Amy stiffened at the use of her nickname. "Have a drink. I think you're going to need it."

"Pass it to the left first!" Harriet corrected and Amy spared the woman a confused glance.

"Sorry," The Doctor quickly rectified as he shoved the bottle in Rose's hands. The girl muttered a quick thank you before focusing on the alarmingly calm aliens.

"Now we can end this…with a slaughter." The Slitheen raised their claws and bared their teeth. The Doctor folded his arms and looked at the aliens, distinctly unimpressed. Meanwhile, Amy's hand was slowly drifting towards her pocket where her perfume bottle was held.

"Fascinating history, Downing Street," The Doctor hummed under his breath. "Two thousand years ago, this was a marshland. In 1730, it was occupied by a Mister Chicken. He was a nice man."

"Yeah Doctor, don't you think we should run?" Rose cut him off, looking at the advancing aliens nervously.

"1796, this was the cabinet room." The Doctor continued without missing a beat. Amy's hand clasped around her perfume bottle and she was ready to pull it out when the Doctor gripped her hand tightly. "If the cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four safest walls in the whole of Great Britain!" he pressed a switch next to the door. "End of lesson!"

To Amy's surprise, metal walls started to slide from the entrance and blocked the entrance, locking out the advancing Slitheen. She relaxed and moved her hand away from her pocket. Looking around, she noticed other places were surrounded by metal sheets as well.

"Installed in 1991. Three inches of steel lining every wall. They'll never get in!" the Doctor said triumphantly with a grin.

"Then how do we get out?" Rose asked.

"If you open the doors, the Slitheen will get us!" Amy reminded him.

"Ah…" The Doctor sighed and the three women sighed exasperatedly.

"What were you doing?" The Doctor turned to her and Amy rubbed her neck.

"They're sensitive to smells." She shrugged it off. The Doctor looked like he had more questions to voice but Rose's small cough gained their attention. The girl was gesturing towards the dead bodies awkwardly.

"Who are they?" The Doctor asked thoughtlessly.

"One of them was the Prime Minster." Amy muttered but the Doctor heard her anyway. He nodded curtly before picking up the dead body of meticulous man while Amy picked up the Prime Minister's body. Together, they both moved them into the storage cupboard and gently lay them to rest.

"What was his name?" The Doctor gestured towards meticulous man's sleeping form. A fleeting wave of guilt crashed over Amy as she realised she didn't even know his name.

"I don't know," Harriet confessed sadly. "I talked to him. I brought him a cup of coffee! I never asked for his name…" she trailed off and sighed. Amy sighed too but feeling guilty for a stranger wasn't going to help matters.

The Doctor started to work, pulling out his sonic and scanning the metal panels that kept them enclosed in the spacious cabinet room. "Right, what have we got? Any terminals? Anything?"

"In here? This place is ancient." Amy snorted, running a finger along the wall to prove her point.

"What I don't get though is when they killed the Prime Minister, why didn't they use him as a disguise?" Rose pondered, turning to the Doctor for an answer.

"Compression field," Amy blurted before frowning. "Okay, that was weird…"

Amy could feel the Doctor and Rose's curious gazes boring into her but she was looking down in furrowed concentration, trying to figure out why on Earth she had said that.

"Like she said, compression field," The Doctor diverted Rose's attention towards him. "Literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas, it's a big exchange."

"What gas?" Amy questioned with furrowed eyebrows.

"They fart…quite a lot." Harriet explained meekly. Amy scrunched her nose in disgust.

"Exactly, they farted during my speech! Unbelievable!" The Doctor cried indignantly and Amy snickered under her breath, earning her a sharp glare from the Time Lord.

"I wish I had a compression field," Rose said, a half-hearted effort to keep the situation light. "I could fit into a small size."

"Excuse me young lady, people are dead, this is not the time for making jokes." Harriet snapped and Rose slunk into the shadows meekly.

"At least she's keeping her calm," Amy pointed out roughly. "It's better than panicking."

"You get used to this kind of stuff when you're friends with him." Rose replied breezily.

"Well, that's a strange friendship." Harriet noted.

"Welcome to our world!" Amy exclaimed cheerily, sitting in the chair next to Harriet and watching the Doctor as he worked on the metal shutters.

"Harriet Jones…I've heard that name before, Harriet Jones." The Doctor mumbled before turning to the confused future Prime Minister. "You're not famous for anything, are you?"

"Hardly!" Harriet scoffed.

"Rings a bell, Harriet Jones…" The Doctor muttered. His eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration. Amy opened her mouth to put him out of his misery, but he held his hand up and quickly silenced her. "I'll figure it out on my own!"

"How would she know anyway?" Rose asked and Amy flinched. She would have to be careful to not give anything away.

"Lifelong backbencher, I'm afraid." Harriet sighed wistfully.

"But look at you now!" Amy pressed. "You're keeping a level head during all this. That's bloody brilliant! It's certainly more brilliant then a 'lifelong backbencher.'"

"Maybe…" Harriet said longingly, flashing Amy a brief, sincere smile. "Fat load of use I'm being at the moment though- the protocols are redundant! They list the people who can help and they're all dead downstairs."

"Lovely!" Amy muttered sarcastically. "Looks like I've got my morbid fix of the hour."

"Hasn't it got like, defence codes and things?" Rose interrupted eagerly. "Can't we just launch a nuclear bomb at 'em?"

Everybody gaped at the eager blonde girl.

"Rose, you've seen way too many action movies." Amy reprimanded only to be rewarded with a scoff and an eye roll.

"She's right. You're a very violent young lady." Harriet added.

"I'm serious!" Rose yelled at the pair. "We could!"

"The United Nations keeps all the defence codes." Amy sighed, remembering an argument with her History teacher.

"They wouldn't release them lightly, I'm afraid."

"Say that again…" the Doctor's voice entered the conversation and Amy turned to see he had stopped scanning the walls and was looking at Harriet strangely.

"What, about the codes?"

"Oh!" Amy suddenly shouted as something in her mind was jolted by the conversation. "Hang on, alien invasion!"

"What?" Rose looked at her in confusion.

"Oh!" The Doctor repeated, looking at Amy with the first glimmer of warmth since they met. "She's right! So was Rickey, it's pretty stupid to put the world on Red Alert if you're invading!"

"I knew it!" Amy cried triumphantly. "They're evil aliens!"

"But why would they want the nukes?" Rose inquired, leaning against the table.

"Well…" The Doctor pondered, walking over to Amy's chair and leaning on the side. "It's just one family, so it's not an invasion,"

"Oh," Amy deflated. "I wasn't right after all."

The Doctor patted her hand absentmindedly. "They don't want Slitheen world…they're out to make money. That means they want something, something here on Earth…some kind of asset."

"Like what?" Harriet asked. "Gold? Oil? Water?"

"Or all three…" Amy whispered. A cold chill drafted through the stifled room.

"Harriet Jones, why do I know that name?" The Doctor asked before clamping his hand over Amy's mouth. The woman rolled her eyes at his antics. It seemed him not wanting her help was universal. A beeping echoed around the room that halted any further conversation.

"Oh, that's me!" Rose said quickly as she pulled out her phone.

"But we're sealed off- how did you get a signal?" Harriet asked in wonder.

Rose pointed the phone accusingly at the Doctor. "He zapped it! It's a super phone now!"

"Then we can call for help!" Harriet beamed. "You must have contacts!"

"Dead downstairs, yeah," The Doctor snorted. "I don't think they'll be much help, do you?"

Amy was about to suggest calling Kate but clamped her mouth shut. She wasn't sure the young woman had even begun operating at this present time period.

"It's Mickey…" Amy whipped her head towards Rose's head in surprise.

"Oh, tell your stupid boyfriend we're busy." The Doctor grunted and Amy snickered silently at the jealousy spell the Doctor was caught up in.

"Yeah, he's not so stupid after all." Rose said softly, handing her phone to the Doctor. Amy peered over his shoulder to see what the fuss was about and gasped.

There was a Slitheen in Jackie's kitchen.

"Call them!" Amy yelled, leaping out of her chair. She turned to see Rose had already fished out her phone and was dialling the number. The next few seconds were tense as they waited for an answer.

"Mickey! S-slow down! Are you alright? …Is she alright though? Don't put her on, just tell me!"

Amy breathed a sigh of relief. She watched as the Doctor strolled up and snatched the phone from Rose. The teenager shot him a glare but he had already pressed the phone to his ear.

"Is that Rickey? Don't talk, just shut up and go to your computer."

Amy glared at him but the Doctor waved it away. Grumbling quietly, she quietly sunk back into his seat.

"Mickey the idiot, I might just choke before I finish this sentence but uh…I need you." The Doctor sighed loudly to show Amy and Rose he had not gone soft. Not that it had stopped the two girls from giggling loudly.

Amy watched as the Doctor gave Mickey instructions a UNIT website. While the boy was doing that, the Time Lord rigged up the intercom system so it would function as a loudspeaker.

"Say again?" he asked finally.

" _It's asking for the password."_ Mickey's voice erupted from the loudspeaker and reverberated off the walls. Amy wondered briefly if the Slitheen could hear them.

"Buffalo- two F's and an L." The Doctor replied curtly.

Jackie's inquisitive voice slurred through the loudspeaker followed by Mickey's response, explaining that the website belonged to UNIT.

"Mickey, you were born in the dark!" The Doctor scoffed.

"Leave him alone." An aggravated Rose commanded. Amy smirked as she realised Rose hadn't noticed the Doctor used Mickey's actual name.

" _Thank you!"_ Mickey's voice practically beamed. " _Password again."_

"Just repeat it every time." The Doctor instructed, sitting down in a chair next to Amy. He then swivelled around a couple of times until Amy stopped him when he was facing them. She raised an amused eyebrow at the Time Lord, who coughed awkwardly. "Big Ben- why did the Slitheen hit Big Ben?"

"Attention?" Amy guessed. "The more the population is exposed to aliens, the more pressure on the UN. They release the codes." Amy paused, taking the time to wonder just when she started to sound like the Doctor.

"Gather in the experts?" Harriet threw in. "Then kill them."

"That lot would have gathered for a weather balloon," The Doctor scoffed. "You don't need to crash land in the middle of London." He shook his head. "Amy's idea is the most plausible. We'll stick to that until we have a clearer image of their frankly insane plot. We need to find out exactly what they need these weapons for."

" _Well, I've got a question if you don't mind_." Jackie's voice rang through the loudspeaker. " _Because ever since that man walked into our lives, I've been attacked on the street, I have had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, my coffee table is destroyed and my daughter disappeared off the face of the Earth."_

Amy listened to the woman rant sadly. She never had this problem. It had always been her, Rory and Mels…but then it hadn't. While Amy was beyond happy that she had her parents back, it quickly turned awkward between them and Amy needed the space. She found it ironic how she was just now considering her parent's feelings after being separated from them forever.

"I told you what happened…" Rose defended, sounding very small and guilty.

" _I'm talking to him!"_ Jackie snapped. " _Cause I've seen your life, Doctor, and maybe you get off on it, but you tell me. Just answer me this. Is my daughter safe?"_

Amy stared at the speaker forlornly, memories of a despondent version of herself wondering if the Doctor would find and care for River. She wondered if her daughter would be safe now that she was gone.

" _Well…what's the answer?!"_

Amy realised neither the Doctor nor Rose had answered her. Luckily, Mickey's triumphant cry distracted them all and they leapt onto the opportunity to avoid the awkward conversation.

"Right then, on the left, there's a tab, an icon. Little concentric circles, click on that."

" _What is it?"_ Mickey's voice cut through after a strange bleeping starting to echo around the confined room.

"The Slitheen have got a spaceship in the North Sea and it's transmitting a signal, now _hush_ , let me work out what it's saying."

Everybody remained deadly silent. Amy could see the Doctor furrow his eyebrows in deep concentration as the continued to echo around the room.

"It's some sort of message." He finally explained.

"What's it say?" Rose inquired.

"I don't know." The Doctor shook his head. "It's on a loop, keeps repeating."

Amy jumped when a buzzing rang from the loudspeaker.

"Hush!" The Doctor hissed.

" _That's not me."_ Mickey hissed back. " _Go and see who that is."_

"It's beaming out into space, what for?" The Doctor pondered and Amy rolled her eyes.

"Message broadcasted into space for all to hear and it's a family business?" The Doctor looked up at her and grinned.

"You're brilliant, you are." He said sincerely and Amy blushed slightly. She wasn't used to compliments from this Doctor, especially since their fight not that long ago.

Suddenly, Amy gasped, and her head started pounding. There was more undecipherable whispering and all Amy could see was a giant computer in a wall, a crystalline like logo emblazoned on the screen. Then her mind was replaced with more images, an alien businessman with the ability to turn the computer human, messages scaring off alien investors.

" _They've found us!"_ Mickey's panicked voice rang out of the speakerphone and broke Amy out of her spell. She looked up to see the worried glances of the Doctor, Rose and Harriet. She immediately shrugged it off, bringing their attention to the two people over the phone.

"Mickey, I need that signal." The Doctor said eventually.

"Never mind the signal!" Rose glared scathingly at the Doctor. "Mum, just get out! Get out! Get out!"

" _We can't, it's by the front door!"_

"Smells, chuck something smelly at them!" Amy quickly suggested.

"Nah, that'd just slow it down. Now shut up, I'm thinking."

" _Oh my god, it's unmasking. It's going to kill us."_

Cold fear gripped Amy. Looking over at Rose, she saw the blonde gripping the table tightly and looking like she was moments away from throwing up.

"You're supposed to be the expert, think of something!" Harriet demanded.

"I'm trying!" The Doctor snapped.

" _I'll take it on Jackie, you just run. Don't look back. Just run."_

"That's my mother and boyfriend!" Rose breathed out, looking at the Doctor helplessly.

"Right," The Doctor started, jumping up and walking towards the other side of the table. Amy jumped out of her seat and joined him. "If we're going to find their weakness, we need to find out where they're from, which planet. Well, judging by their basic shape, that narrows it down to five thousand planets within travelling distance. What else do we know about them?"

"They're green!" Rose threw out.

"Yep, narrows it down."

"Good sense of smell!" Amy supplied.

"Narrows it down."

"They could smell our fear! Best noses in the galaxy, or so they say!" Amy frowned. "Where did that come from?"

"Never mind that, it narrows it down!"

"The pig technology!" Harriet bellowed.

"Narrows it down."

Rose clicked her fingers earnestly. "Spaceship in the Thames- you said slipstream engine?"

"Narrows it down."

" _It's getting in!"_

"They hunt like it's their ritual!" Amy realised.

"Narrows it down!" The Doctor said determinedly.

"Wait a minute!" Harriet caught their attention. "Did you notice? When they fart- if you'll pardon the word- it doesn't just smell like a fart –if you'll pardon the word- it's something else, what is it…it's more like, uh, um…"

"Bad breath!" Rose shouted out.

"That's it!"

"Calcium decay, now _that_ narrows it down!" The Doctor grinned.

"We're getting there, mum!" Rose yelled through the phone.

"Calcium phosphate, organic calcium, living calcium, creatures made out of living calcium, and, and…hyphenated surname! Yes! Now _that_ narrows it down to one planet! Raxacoricofallapatorious!"

" _Hyphenated surname?"_ Amy gawked. "When did you figure that out?"

" _Oh yeah, great, we could write 'em a letter!"_ Mickey bit sarcastically.

"Get into the kitchen, both of you!" The Doctor ordered. "Calcium, recombined with compression field- acetic acid, vinegar!"

"Just like Hannibal!" Harriet gasped.

"Just like Hannibal!" The Doctor grinned. "Mickey, have you got any vinegar?"

" _How should I know_?"

"You're such a kid!" Amy berated him. "Got any pickles? Picked anything?"

"Cupboard by the sink!" Rose jumped. "Middle shelf!"

" _What do you need?"_ Jackie's hurried voice asked.

"Anything with vinegar!" The Doctor and Amy replied in unison.

There was the sound of rustling as Jackie started to call out a list of items containing vinegar. The Doctor playfully teased Rose about kissing Mickey. There was a loud crash over the speaker and then a disgusting squelch could be heard.

"Mickey, Jackie? That wasn't you, was it?" Amy asked worriedly when there was no response.

"Nope, it was more definitely the alien." Mickey called out, sounding incredibly nauseous.

"Hannibal?" Rose looked at the Doctor and Harriet with a questioning glance, panting heavily with relief.

"Hannibal crossed the Alps by dissolving boulders with vinegar." Harriet explained as soon as the Doctor opened his mouth to explain. Amy snickered at the chastised look on his face. They all raised their drink and drank, well, apart from the Doctor, who spat his drink out.

Nothing changes.

* * *

 **A/N:** Just in time for _Before the Flood!_ I can't wait! What's happening to Amelia Pond, do you think? Here's a hint: It's to do with her past and future. I wrote this chapter listening to _This Little Girl_ …I'm not insane, I promise.

 **Aka-Baka Hoshi:** You'll get your answer in the next two (?) chapters!

 **Bwburke94:** Either that was a stupid mistake made by me, or there is a developing storyline behind it. You get to decide which one!

 **Son of Whitebeard:** What a strange way to think about the events that transpired in Downing Street. I love it!

See you guys next Saturday where there are some deviations in events!


	18. Resignation

_Resignation_

* * *

Amy shifted in her chair to soothe her aching muscles. The silence crashed over the room like a tidal wave as everybody shuffled about doing their own things. The Doctor was quietly in the corner, deep in thought and occasionally scanning something with his sonic screwdriver. Harriet and Rose were quietly talking on the other side of the room, the former patting the blonde girl as she looked like she was about to cry over what had happened.

Amy sank lower in her chair. This day was too much. She was exhausted, but still her mind raced with possibilities. She was still having those strange visions, which she had put off as dumb luck, now she wasn't so sure. Her mind humoured the possibility of it being a long term effect of travelling in the TARDIS for too long. After all, River was half Time Lord.

"Amy?" Rose's quiet voice made her jump. Turning around to face her, Amy could see the girl shuffling about nervously and looking like her age for the first time after they had gone on their adventures. She smiled softly.

"Everything alright, Rose?" she asked quietly. Rose nodded quickly and looked around nervously. Amy looked around too. The Doctor and Harriet were arguing over whether there could be something hidden in the redundant codes.

"Can I talk to you about something?" Rose asked timidly. Amy smiled and patted the chair next to her. Rose smiled gratefully and sat in the chair. Amy waited until the girl relaxed. When Rose finally relaxed, she remained silent for a while.

"Do you think I should break up with Mickey?" she blurted when Amy opened her mouth to speak. She quickly clamped her mouth shut and looked at the blonde strangely. Unsure of what to do, Amy decided to go with the tactical approach.

"Rose…what's brought this on?"

Rose looked down. "'s just that I feel guilty. I left them- both of them- without even stopping…without even thinking. And looked what happened! They both nearly died today."

"I don't understand what this has to do with Mickey…?"

"I can't do this." The blonde answered truthfully. "I can't travel and string him along like this. I mean, look what happened to Gwyneth. Her brother abandoned her and she had died. What if I die and he's still stuck in a commitment we can't admit is over? It's not right…'s selfish."

"Only if you think that it's right." Amy said firmly. "By the way, why are you sharing this with me?"

Rose smiled. "I may have only known you for a grand total of a whole day but I trust you. I mean, you saved my life about three times and Leah said something…not nice that made me realise you were the best person to talk to. I think if you weren't here, I wouldn't have told anyone about this and I'd still be stringing Mickey along. I mean, mum's great and all and I love her but she's hardly the type of person you go to talk about these things to and the Doctor's an alien! Who knows what kind of alien stuff he'd spring on me!"

The two giggled until Mickey's urgent voice captured their attention. Everybody jumped up and crowed the speakerphone.

" _Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads and they have found massive weapons of destruction, capable of being deployed within 45 seconds."_

"They're always such dramatists." Amy sighed, rubbing her head. She listened as the man continued his spiel to worm the access codes from the United Nations.

"He's making it up!" The Doctor finally scoffed. "There's no weapons up there. There's no threat. He just invented it!"

"Do you think they'll believe him?" Harriet inquired.

"They will, won't they?" Amy muttered. "The whole world's panicked and on Red Alert."

"Makes it easier to get them to release the defence codes." Rose summarised.

"And the Slitheen go nuclear." The Doctor concluded.

"We still don't understand _why_ they want to blow up the planet." Amy reminded him and the Doctor sauntered towards the locked door and opened it. The three Slitheen turned and raised their claws but the Doctor shut them down by opening his mouth.

"You get the codes, release the missile, but not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every country on Earth. They retaliate, fight back. World War Three- whole planet gets nuked."

Chills ran over Amy's spine when their pursuer stalked up to them inside her skin suit, a malevolent grin on her face.

"And we can sit through it in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed, just parked. They'll be two minutes away."

Amy bristled. "They left a spaceship lying in the Thames?"

"No. _We_ left the spaceship lying in the Thames." The woman replied coolly. "Humans. You're such simpletons."

"But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place, what for?" a concerned Harriet asked.

"Profit!" The Doctor spat angrily. "That's what the signal is beaming into space- an advert."

"The thing is," Amy began, standing next to the Doctor. "We don't quite understand what you're advertising."

"The sale of the Century!" The Slitheen woman smirked. "We reduce the Earth to molten slag and then sell it, piece by piece. Radioactive chunks capable of powering every cut price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor…" the woman shot her an annoyed look. "Co. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel."

"You're doing all this for gas?" Amy snarled.

"At the cost of five billion lives." The Doctor inputted, glaring darkly at the woman.

"Bargain." She shrugged indifferently.

"Then I give you a choice." The Doctor straightened, the lost soldier of Gallifrey glittering menacingly in his eyes. "Leave this planet or I'll stop you."

Amy's eyebrows shot straight up when the Slitheen burst into laughter. The ignorant aliens were not aware of the Doctor's future status and credibility. One day, he would become notoriously known as the man who could turn an army around at the slightest hint of anger. That day hadn't come and the Slitheen family were laughing themselves to their doom.

"What, you?" the woman cackled. "Trapped in your box?"

"Yes," The Doctor replied calmly. " _Me."_

He reached to close the door and Amy was surprised when the Slitheen woman squeezed through just before they clamped shut. She immediately jumped back, grabbing Rose and pulling her away from the skin suited alien. Luckily, the Slitheen had her eyes set on the Doctor.

"Who do you think you are?" She inquired.

"I'm the Doctor." He stated simply. "And I _will_ stop you."

"What could you possibly do?" She challenged with a smirk.

"You'd be surprised." The Doctor retaliated with an empty look in his eyes. "I'll bring your carefully laid plans crashing down right at your feet without remorse or pity."

"Is that what you are?" The disgusted blonde Slitheen asked. "Are you the man who will condemn us our deaths?"

"Yes, I am."

"Not if I condemn you first." She whispered evilly, moving her hair to pull the zip. Amy acted on impulse. She pushed the Doctor out of the way and grabbed the woman's arm, stopping her from unzipping.

"Don't hurt them." Amy ordered.

"If you don't let me go, I will snap both your arms and your pretty little neck, girly." The Slitheen woman snarled coldly.

"Think about it," Amy cooed in what she hoped was her most persuasive tone. "Take me with you. If you do, I'll be your prisoner and then they won't be able to fulfil the plan."

"Amy, what are you doing?" Rose hissed. Amy ignored her.

"Why would you do such a thing?" The alien narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"I'm doing it because there's no other option. I _will not_ see them hurt." Amy replied without hesitation. Silence trickled by. The alien was studying her, most likely searching for a lie. Amy kept her face straight.

"Fine." The woman snarled and gestured towards the barred door with her head. "Get in front in case you were thinking of pulling a stunt on me."

"Well, tell your heavies to back off." Amy quipped sarcastically. "I'm not in the mood to be shredded."

"Oh don't worry, you will be." The woman smirked. "Nice and slowly."

Amy gulped at the threat of violence but quickly schooled her face. She shot Rose a reassuring smile and looked the Doctor straight in the eye, conveying what she needed him to know, that this was her own decision and that he should follow through with his plan regardless.

Finally, the Doctor nodded curtly, and Amy left with the alien woman.

* * *

She shuffled awkwardly as the Slitheen prodded her in the back to keep her moving. They were all back in their skin suits and were forcing her to move along with them past the armed soldiers. Amy refrained from shouting out for help. The Doctor needed time to execute his plan.

She stood on the staircase, squished between the blonde pursuer and a large military officer while the Slitheen impersonating the acting Prime Minster gave a curt speech to the sergeant.

Amy watched incredulously as two out of the three Slitheen ran up and smothered the telephone while the one impersonating the military officer stood directly behind her. She was forcefully shoved into a corner where they could keep an eye on her. Amy sat quietly, biding time for her escape. Her fingers fleetingly brushed across her pocket and she resisted the urge to smirk.

Her head shot up when the acting Prime Minister stop up with a euphoric expression.

"Victory…should be naked!" He proclaimed. If Amy wasn't so terrified about being slaughtered, she would've laughed at his innuendo. The blue light filled the room and Amy shrunk in the corner, hoping they would forget her presence.

The three Slitheen clambered out of their skin suits and raised their claws in the air. Soon, more Slitheen stalked into the room and they all shared a cackle until one of the newcomers spotted her.

"There's a disgusting human in the corner." The male sounding Slitheen gurgled.

"Oh, leave her." Her pursuer had chided. "She's our prisoner!"

"We should kill her." A female sounding Slitheen hissed. "Make her pay for our brother's death."

"It was self-defence!" Amy tried to defend their actions.

"Shh!" her Slitheen pursuer snarled. Amy's automatic senses kicked in and she glared at the alien.

"Don't shush me! You're going to kill innocent people for your hare-brained schemes for money!"

"That's still the plan, yes, but now we're going to destroy this planet agonisingly slowly in memory of our lost brother." A Slitheen gurgled.

"He tried to kill our friends." Amy replied firmly.

"Do you what it's like to lose family?" The female Slitheen asked, sounding very small for the first time since they met. Amy winced. They had no idea how much she could relate to the aliens.

"What's your name, anyway?" Amy asked curiously. There was a pause.

"Blon Fel Fotch Passameer Day Slitheen." The Slitheen finally stated. Amy snorted. The Doctor was going to have a field day. "And I believe your time is up human."

Amy's head shot up as the Slitheen started to advance on her. She was about to grab her bottle of perfume when an alarm pierced the air and distracted the green aliens.

"What the hell is that?"

A moment later, a sergeant burst in babbling about a missile and capturing their attention. Amy used the confusion to her advantage and sprayed the bottle of perfume in their faces. The Slitheen recoiled and screeched loudly, providing Amy with the space she needed to escaped.

"Later losers!" She cried out triumphantly as she ran out of the building. She wasn't a fool. She knew the missile was the same one that blew up Downing Street.

Amy ran as fast as she could until she was sure she was at a safe distance. Before she even had the chance to turn around, a shockwave sent her flying off her feet and small licks of fire singed her hair. She pulled herself to her feet and looked at the charred remains of 10 Downing Street.

Her breath hitched in her throat when she couldn't see the Doctor or Rose anywhere. Finally, she saw them walking away from the ruins, Harriet branching off and walking towards the soldiers. Amy ran up to them and hugged Rose.

"You're okay!" Rose grinned. Amy pulled back and grinned back.

"I'm always okay!"

"I thought I knew the name." The Doctor said and Amy turned to look at him. He was still looking at Harriet, an expression of excitement lighting his face. "Harriet Jones: future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms; the architect for Britain's Golden Age."

Amy said nothing. They had defeated the Slitheen and saved the Earth. Now wasn't the time to be the bringer of bad news. Instead, she followed their proud gazes and watched as Harriet continued her speech before following them as they began to walk towards Rose's flat.

Amy ignored the white illuminated glow of the familiar crack in time in the corner of her eye, already wiping away the remains of the aftermath to be erased before her own time. She was too tired to deal with it.

* * *

Amy sat in the pilot's seat, her head resting on the back as she watched the Doctor argue with Rose over the phone. Finally, he hung up and she rolled her eyes when he started to pout.

"Everything alright?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Everything's just fine." The Doctor bit back and Amy hid her smirk behind her jacket. She looked up when she noticed the Doctor shift restlessly.

"Amy, I-"

"He's not here." She nodded with understanding, forcing the tears back. "I already guessed that."

The Doctor nodded, avoiding her gaze. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too." She sighed.

A bleeping on the monitor caught their attention. Amy was too tired to move so she gestured the Doctor see what was happening. He gave her one last reluctant look before focusing on the monitor. She frowned when his eyebrows pinched and he looked at the monitor incredulously.

"Hello! I forgot just how grumpy I looked when I was you!"

Amy froze in her seat. She would recognise that voice anywhere. She wanted to move, to run up to the monitor and see his face once again and make sure he was coping, but her feet remained firmly planted on the metal grating.

"Yeah, can we just get on with it?" Another male voice asked.

"Oi! Mind your own business sandshoes!" Her Doctor quipped and Amy laughed softly.

"So, this is another you, yeah?" A voice- female- asked. He had found someone else to keep him company. That was good. He should never be on his own.

"Yeah, you've met him too, don't you remember?"

"No, not really. He does look a bit familiar though. I think he was in the restaurant."

"What restaurant?"

"Yeah, who are you lot and what do you want?" Her current Doctor asked. He didn't look threatened, just annoyed and exasperated. That look changed when something happened to the monitor and a stormy expression encapsulated his face.

"What's _he_ doing there?"

"Repenting for my sins." An older, male voice replied. He sounded as tired as Amy felt.

"What does that mean?"

"It means," her Doctor paused for dramatic effect. "We're going to save Gallifrey."

Her current Doctor's eyes darkened and he gripped the edge of the console harshly. "Gallifrey is gone. It burned alongside the Daleks in the Time War."

"Yeah, you wouldn't remember. The timelines are out of sync. You don't remember what actually happened." Her Doctor explained in that absentminded tone when he had his mind set on other things.

"Why should I believe you?" The current Doctor finally asked.

"Because you know what we say is true."

"How do we save Gallifrey?" he finally asked, sounding very small.

"We're going to use all of our TARDISes and pull it into a pocket universe. It'll be safe, but missing." A new voice explained. Amy smiled when she realised he had a Scottish accent.

"So we're not really saving them? We're just condemning them to a fate where they have no power?" her current Doctor growled.

"This isn't up for discussion." Her raggedy Doctor retorted coolly. "We need your help to save Gallifrey and we're not giving you a choice."

There was silence. Amy continued to sit in the pilot's seat, worried she might ruin the moment and stop the Doctor from helping them save Gallifrey.

"…Give me a minute." He finally said, switching off the monitor and gripping onto the console tightly. His eyes were glossed over and he was shaking. Amy jumped up when she realised he was panicking. She walked over and placed a gentle hand on his arm. He jumped and looked at her, and his expression softened.

"I don't know what to do, Amy." The Doctor croaked, sounding like a child. Amy smiled gently and rubbed his arm soothingly.

"You're not alone anymore. You don't have to make this choice by yourself."

"I'll save Gallifrey and we won't even remember. How can I do that? It's not fair!" Amy was surprised at his tone.

"This isn't like you…" she pointed out.

"I can't be a prat all the time." He sounded so resigned and Amy understood. He had been like this before, back on Platform One when Jabe had mentioned Gallifrey. "I've never had anyone to talk to after the Time War. I don't even remember how."

"Help them." Amy pleaded. "We might not remember it but you'll have saved your people. Isn't that what you want?"

"It is, but what if I can't find it again?" he asked.

"Doctor," Amy gripped his arm tighter until he was looking at her. "The one who was talking to you the most- that's _my_ Doctor and I have no doubt whatsoever that he would just leave Gallifrey in whatever place it ends up. Please. Help them."

The Doctor looked at her with a sad smile. "You know a lot about me, don't you?"

"I do." Amy replied. "Maybe not as much as I would like to think but I do know quite a bit about you."

The Doctor nodded and sighed. "Fine, I'll help them. Do you want to stay to see this?"

Amy shook her head and smiled. "I don't think I can look at him. He'll be so guilty when he realised I'm not with Rory."

The Doctor nodded in understanding and Amy left to go sit in her bedroom. The next time she would emerge, she wouldn't remember that she had helped in saving the Doctor's home planet.

* * *

Amy climbed off her bed. She could've sworn she was on the jump seat. Scratching her head, she walked towards the console room calling out for the Doctor. The door was open and Amy spotted the leather clad jacket. She noticed something out of the corner of her eye and looked at the monitor to see a message.

 _His name is Noah._

Amy frowned but pushed the message to the back of her mind as she joined the TARDIS outside the door. The Doctor was shooing a child away. Shaking her head, she approached Mickey who was sitting on a bin with a newspaper in his hands.

"I just went down the shop and I was thinking you know, like the whole world's changed. Aliens and spaceships all in public. And here it is."

He held up a newspaper and Amy snorted at the headline.

"Typical. Blow up Downing Street and their still flapping about trying to deny it."

"They're just not ready." The Doctor advised. "You're happy to believe in the invisible but if it's staring you in the face- nope! Can't see it! There's a scientific explanation for that. You're _thick_!"

"Nice to see you think so highly of us." Amy rolled her eyes.

Mickey chuckled. "We're just idiots!"

"Well…not all of you." The Doctor said, looking straight at Mickey with pride shining in his eyes. Amy smiled. He was finally playing nice.

"Yeah?"

"Present for you Mickey," The Doctor presented a simple disc. "That's a virus. Put it online, it'll destroy every mention of me. I'll cease to exist."

Amy frowned. It looked like he was always trying to stay in the shadows.

"What do you want to do that for?" Mickey asked, voicing Amy's question.

"'Cos you're right, I am dangerous. I don't want anybody following me." The Doctor replied. Amy snorted.

"Yeah, I'm not a follower, thanks."

"How can you say that…?" Mickey glanced to the side. Amy followed his line of sight and saw Rose and Jackie walking up to them. "And then take her with you?"

"You could look after her. Come with us." The Doctor suggested and Amy was surprised at how much she wanted Mickey to accept and travel with them.

"I can't." He shook his head. Amy was a bit disheartened but understood. "This life of yours…it's just too much. I-I couldn't do it." He looked wistfully at Rose. "Don't tell her I said that."

Amy bit her lip. She really hoped Mickey wouldn't blow up in Rose's face when she broke up with him. Speaking of which, Jackie was pestering Rose with things she'd do if she stayed and Amy's heart went out to the woman. She was the exact same with the Doctor after they had left River at the hospital. After first she was okay with it, but then she grew paranoid and sprung a load of questions on him until he finally agreed to let her see her daughter.

"I'm not leaving 'cos of you!" Rose assured her. "I'm travelling, that's all, and then I'll come back!"

"But it's not safe!" Jackie persisted.

"Mum…if you saw it out there…you'd never stay home." Rose said wistfully, smiling at the Doctor. She slung off her backpack and shoved it in his hands.

"Got enough stuff?" The Doctor quipped sarcastically.

"Last time I stepped in there, it was spur of the moment." She informed him smugly. "Now I'm signing up. You're stuck with me. Hah!"

"Well, I don't know about him but I'm thrilled!" Amy called out and Rose shot her famous tongue-in-teeth smile before walking up to Mickey. They both walked to a quiet area and Jackie whirled towards them as soon as they were out of sight.

"You still can't promise me. What if she gets lost? What if something happens to you and her and she's left all alone standing on some moon a million light years away? How long do I wait then?"

"Jackie," Amy caught her attention. "The Doctor might not be able to promise you because he's mainly an idiot but also because it would rip him up if something did happen and he broke his promise." She took in a shuddering breath. "But I can. I promise that I will try the best I can to look after Rose."

"Do you really? Do you swear you'll be her guardian?" Jackie was looking at her with vulnerable eyes and Amy sighed. The sigh turned into a gasp when strange images filled her head. A wolf with pure golden eyes was running through a leafy green meadow carelessly. Then, another image cropped. A shapeless being with pure red hair scolding the wolf and the wolf looked down sheepishly. Her eyes snapped open and looked straight at Jackie's concerned gaze, quickly shrugging it off.

"I promise."

Rose walked back, signalling to Amy that it went well before hugging her mother. A satisfied Amy nodded and gave Mickey a quick hug.

"Look after you." She replied.

"You too." Mickey replied.

She nodded and walked into the TARDIS with the Doctor and Rose.

"It includes you, you know." The Doctor leaned against the TARDIS console looking at her. Amy looked at him curiously. He smiled softly. "Not every human is an idiot."

Amy smiled.

* * *

 **A/N:** And that's it! I hope you guys enjoyed that Gallifrey plotline. It originally occurred after the Doctor left Rose behind the first time in 'Rose' but it was changed to a later date because he had Amy with him!

That's it, really. I've got two minisodes coming your way though!


	19. Another Good Night

_Meanwhile in the TARDIS 2: Another Good Night_

* * *

Amy sat under the TARDIS grating, listening as the ship hummed quietly. Rose had long since gone to bed and the Doctor was off gallivanting through time and space. Her eyes glossed over.

A month, she had been travelling with this Doctor for a month. That was longer than she had expected. That was longer than she had intended. She had expected to be reunited with Rory already and be living happily wherever they were left off.

The TARDIS sent her waves of soothing thoughts. She smiled and patted the floor in thanks. The machine gurgled in response. Amy leaned her head back on the wall and closed her eyes in contemplation.

The Doctor had taken them to all sorts of places during that month. There was San Kloon, Woman's Wept and, her personal favourite, the planet Sahara Nebula where she was heralded as a queen. Travelling with this Doctor and Rose was great but Amy missed the days when it was her and her boys and her daughter popping in occasionally. There was something else as well. It was usually brief but sometimes she would see a petite brunette girl who strangely resembled the girl she saved in the restaurant.

Eventually deciding that her bed would be more comfortable than the floor underneath the grating, Amy stood up and pushed the grating cover open. Clambering out, she jumped when the door suddenly opened and the Doctor stepped inside…without his clothes.

Amy stood still for a few seconds.

Then she bristled in anger.

Then she started throwing things at him that the TARDIS materialised for her. She screamed at him while he ducked as best as he could.

"Oi! Stop that!"

"Put some clothes on!" Amy screeched, continuing her onslaught. She eventually managed to hit the Doctor in the face with a sock.

"How do you expect me to do that if you're trying to kill me?" he snapped.

"Shut up, don't get sassy, and _put some clothes on."_ She continued yelling.

She eventually calmed down enough to let the Doctor run to the wardrobe. He strolled back into the console room a few seconds later as if nothing had happened. Amy scowled at him.

"And where were you?" She inquired. He shrugged and started the dematerialisation process. Amy used this as an opportunity to sit down on the pilot's seat, supporting her head by resting a hand under her chin.

"I thought I'd go check out the Titanic. I managed to stop one family from boarding, the Daniels family." He explained.

"You saved a family from death." She smiled at him fondly. He met her gaze briefly before turning towards the door and flinging them open. Amy followed and found they were in space. Rolling her eyes, she pressed the button to extend the air shell and sat down next to him. He looked at her strangely.

"You know how to do that?" he questioned.

"Picked it up from you during my travels." She explained conversationally. "It's not that hard."

The Doctor nodded once and turned to look out at the endless vacuum of stars and planets. Amy had seen this a thousand times, yet it always ended up amazing her. She still remembered floating in space for the first time, the Doctor gripping her leg firmly to make sure she didn't go flying off. She smiled sadly at the sweet memory.

"You're not surprised that I went on adventures of my own." It wasn't a question but a statement. Amy shrugged, not meeting his burning gaze.

"You're always doing that. You don't need to sleep like we do, so you use the time to stave off the boredom." She spoke in a tone that left no room for argument.

"How did you find that out?" Amy smiled at him.

"It was a good night." She said softly, leaving her answer vague and enigmatic. River didn't just pick up her enigma status from experience. She nudged him when he grew silent. "Go on then, tell me what you did."

"Not much really, just stopped a fleet of Galactrix from using the Titanic as their vessel to conquer Earth. I had to crash it into an iceberg to stop them from succeeding. There was no other way."

"I know." Amy responded. "The Titanic crashing was a fixed point, wasn't it? There was nothing you could have done without creating a paradox."

"Go on then," he sighed. "Ask me your question."

"How do you know I have a question?" She smirked.

"Don't think you can play games with me. No one is capable of that." She patted his arm to soothe him.

"Easy, tiger, I was only kidding." She sighed. "What did Jackie mean? When she said I visited her before?"

"I don't know." He responded softly. "I guess time will tell. It always does."

Amy nodded. They sat in comfortable silence, watching the stars twinkling and dancing. Eventually, Amy decided she hadn't teased the Doctor enough.

"So, speaking of Jackie," Amy smirked. "Going to ask Rose on a _date_?"

The Doctor looked at her strangely, but Amy could see the fear in his eyes. Her smirk widened.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said firmly. Amy simply rolled her eyes.

"Come on, the sooner you go on that date, the sooner you can propose!" She laughed when the Doctor's face devolved into a look of pure terror. He was never one for domestics.

"I'm not listening to this." He declared, promptly standing up and speed walking through a door. Amy laughed, finally able to put away her troubles for the night and tease the Doctor as if he was the same raggedy man who had crashed into her garden when she was seven years old.

"Aw, come on Doctor!" Amy teased, standing up and chasing after him gleefully. "When you two have the wedding, can I be bridesmaid?"

She heard the Doctor splutter and giggled. She was only teasing but she saw the way the two looked at each other, especially when they were walking together in Woman's Wept. She would help the two get their game together and try to get them to admit their feelings for each other. For now, it was a night where Amy could forget her problems with the universe and the Doctor and just enjoy herself.

Neither of them noticed a star flickering out and disappearing.


	20. Testosterone and Accomplices

_Testosterone and Accomplices_

* * *

"…And he walks in stark naked!" Amy finished reciting her story, deciding not to indulge Rose in the marvellous part where she chased the Doctor around the TARDIS teasing him about Rose and domesticities.

"You are unbelievable!" Rose sighed, glaring at the Doctor, who was fiddling with the console. He looked at her and rolled his eyes.

"At least you're not being smug about it." The Doctor bit sarcastically. Amy was about to retort when the TARDIS started to violently shudder and send her flying onto the grating painfully.

"What happened?" Amy groaned, rubbing her sore head. Rose helped her up before quickly following the Doctor out of the TARDIS.

"Don't know." He admitted. Amy quickly followed the two outside and looked around the dark area. She couldn't really make anything out. "Some kind of signal drawing the TARDIS off course…"

Amy walked further into the room and looked at the glass shimmering in the darkness. She concluded it was a display case.

"Where are we?" Rose's voice echoed from behind her. She turned to see her two friends had wandered further away from her.

"Earth, Utah, North America, about half a mile underground." The Doctor explained and Amy froze. Unwanted memories of the Doctor being shot in front of her while she was powerless to do anything shot through her head. While the Doctor hadn't actually died, the scene still haunted her. It was one of the few instances she wished she didn't have the whole universe poured into her head.

"When are we?" Amy asked hoarsely, praying the answer wasn't 2011.

"2012." The Doctor replied and Amy's shoulders sagged with relief.

"God, that's so close." Rose chuckled fondly. "So I should be…twenty six."

Amy decided not to point out she was actually younger than Rose. That would create questions that made her uncomfortable.

A low buzzing filled the air and fluorescent lighting suddenly brightened up the room. Amy looked over and confirmed what she saw was a display case. She looked around and saw more display cases with numerous objects stuffed inside.

"Blimey!" Rose gasped. "It's a great big museum!"

"It's hidden underground." Amy noted, looking at the numerous displays. She recognised some of them from her travels.

"An alien museum." The Doctor noted. "Someone's got a hobby. They must've spent a fortune on this. Chunks of meteorite, moon dust…that's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship."

Amy gasped. Her mind was suddenly filled with images of the man in a blue suit running around in a cave followed by ugly beetle creatures. The images were replaced with a young teenager with a tube in his hand. She snapped herself out of her thoughts and walked back to the Doctor and Rose. She would have to talk to him about these premonitions.

She froze when she saw what they were looking at. The head of a dead Cyberman, though it looked outdated than the ones Amy encountered during her travels.

"The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I must be getting old." He muttered, looking at the glass wistfully. Amy wondered how he would react when she told him that she had encountered the silver stompers.

"Is that where the signal's coming from?" Rose inquired.

"We're all in trouble if it is." Amy muttered, earning curious looks from the Doctor and Rose.

"Nah, it's stone dead. The signal's alive. Something's reaching out…calling for help." He replied, raising his to touch the glass.

"Doctor, don't…!" Amy tried but it was too late. A shrill alarm pierced the air and soldiers filed into the area pointing guns at them. Amy sighed and raised her hands. "…touch the glass."

"If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you exhibit A." Rose whispered. Amy growled under her breath. This had better be worth her time.

* * *

The three were promptly escorted into a modern, spacious office. Sitting by a desk was a dull looking American man with a portrait of himself right behind him. Amy rolled her eyes. She hated the vain ones.

Standing next to him and talking in hushed whispers was a young man about Rose's age. He was pretty. She hated the pretty ones as well, apart from Rory. Rory was his own league of pretty.

As he talked, Amy realised he was British. She found it strange considering everybody else in the base was American.

"I really wouldn't hold it like that." The Doctor said simply, earning curious glances.

"Shut it!" an American woman with long blonde curls snarled at him.

The Doctor briefly glanced at her innocently before facing the two men again. "Really, though, that's wrong."

"Is it dangerous?" The pretty kid asked curiously.

"No, it just looks silly." The Doctor replied, reaching out to take the object. The sound of safety catches clicking warningly stopped him. The posh man held up a hand to placate them and gestured for the Doctor to continue.

"You just need to be…delicate." The Doctor said softly and Amy listened in amazement as he played a soft, harmonious note.

"It's a musical instrument." The posh man gazed in amazement. Amy wasn't quite sure why it unnerved her.

"And it's a long way from home." The Doctor said, stroking it fondly.

"Here, let me." The posh American snatched the device from the Doctor. Amy rolled her eyes and let her mind wander as the man failed to play as softly as the Doctor had.

Her eyes rested on a teenager about the same age as the pretty kid looking at her curiously. Amy raised an eyebrow and he looked away, embarrassed. Amy smiled sweetly at him and he smiled back. Her attention was brought back to the posh man as he succeeded in playing a soft, dulcet tone.

"Very good," The Doctor praised. "Quite the expert."

"As are you," the posh American replied, chucking the device over his shoulder and leaving it to crash loudly on the floor. Amy scowled at the man, finding more reasons to dislike him. "Who exactly are you?"

"I'm the Doctor, who are you?" he had an edge in his tone. Amy guessed he didn't like the man either.

"Like you don't know." The posh American scoffed. Amy raised an eyebrow at him. "We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world and you just stumbled in by mistake?"

"Pretty much sums me up, yeah." The Doctor chuckled.

"The question is: how did you get in?" the posh American skirted around the desk and faced the three of them. "53 floors down with your little cut burglar accomplices." He eyed Rose and Amy up and down and Amy resisted the urge to punch him in the face. "Quite a collector yourself, they're rather pretty."

" _They're_ going to smack you if you keep it up." Rose spoke up, glaring at the man.

"She's English too!" the posh git chuckled. "Hey, little lord Fauntleroy- got you a girlfriend!" he looked straight at Amy with a flirtatious smile. "You English?"

"Scottish," She corrected. "And not interested."

"This is mister Henry Van Statten." The pretty kid introduced the posh man, who puffed his chest out proudly.

"And who's he when he's at home?" Rose questioned.

"Mr Van Statten owns the internet." The kid explained and Amy scoffed. She had lived through 2012. Nobody owned the internet.

"Don't be stupid. Nobody owns the internet." Rose voiced Amy's thoughts.

"And let's just keep the whole world thinking that, right kids?" Van Statten grinned smugly.

"So you're an expert on just about everything in this museum. Anything you don't understand, you lock it up." The Doctor sounded agitated and Amy wondered if he was going to hit the man.

"And you claim greater knowledge?"

"I don't need to make claims. I know how good I am." The Doctor deadpanned and Amy snorted.

" _Smooth_."

"And yet I captured you." Van Statten grinned wolfishly.

"Only because the idiot went and touched the glass case. Besides, you were the cowards hiding behind the guns. Americans, you never change." Amy growled.

"Aren't you just full of fire?" Van Statten praised flirtatiously. Amy stepped on his foot. She could faintly hear the shy boy snickering lightly.

"I thought I told you I wasn't interested." Amy hissed, ready to punch him when the Doctor pulled her back.

"What were you doing down next to the cage?" Van Statten demanded angrily. Probably mad because Amy had stepped on his toe. Amy smirked smugly.

The Doctor simply looked at the American. "You tell me."

"The cage contains my only living specimen." Van Statten explained and Amy frowned. She deduced that this living 'specimen' was what was sending out the distress signal. A brief glance at Rose confirmed she had come to the same conclusion.

"And what's that?" The Doctor inquired, sounding stuck between seething anger and genuine curiosity.

"Like you don't know." Van Statten scoffed again.

"Show me."

"You wanna see it?"

"Blimey," Rose chirped. "You can smell the testosterone."

"Men are such losers." Amy sighed. She could see the blonde woman smirk out of the corner of her eye.

"Goddard!" Van Statten called out to the blonde woman, who straightened automatically. "Inform the cage. We're heading down." He turned towards pretty boy. "You- English. Look after these lovely girls. Canoodle or spoon, or whatever it is you British do."

"You're leaving us with your boy genius?" Amy asked incredulously. "Well, at least we can escape easily."

"Good point." Van Statten grinned and Amy cursed her gob. "You, new kid, you're on guard duty. Have fun, your first proper case. Don't screw it up." The boy who was watching Amy straightened and nodded shakily. "And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet."

* * *

Amy ranted and raved about being left out of the action as they walked to pretty boy's office. As soon as they arrived, pretty boy abandoned her and started showing Rose several devices and items littered on his desk with a hopeful look in his eyes.

Amy scowled. This kid was making it hard for her to progress with her mission to make the Doctor and Rose go on a date. She knew it was weird, seeing as she was basically attempting to hook up her daughter's husband with a peroxide blonde but this Doctor was a few regenerations off from her own and he was damaged from the Time War. He needed someone as compassionate as Rose to help him pick up the pieces.

Not one for standing around idly watching, Amy walked over to their young guard who was sitting further inside the room and smiled at him. The poor kid looked terrified of her and Amy felt bad.

"I'm not going to hurt you." She promised and the boy visibly relaxed. "Can I sit?"

He nodded and Amy sat down on the seat next to him. He was watching her curiously again and Amy wondered what was so special about her that attracted his curiosity. She couldn't help but look at him fondly though. He reminded her so much of Rory, with his dusty brown hair and inquisitive blue eyes.

"So what's your name?" She asked at last and he jumped, looking surprised that she was actually talking to him.

"Chase. Chase Jackson." He introduced hesitantly and Amy took notice of his age. She frowned at him.

"No offence, but you're barely an adult. What are you doing working for somebody like Van Statten?"

"I don't know…for the adventure, I guess?" Chase smiled wistfully. "I've always wanted to have adventures ever since I was a kid."

"I was the exact same." Amy smiled ruefully.

"Is that why you broke into the vaults?"

"We didn't break in! We just…popped in by accident." Amy shrugged. Chase laughed.

"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me." He declared and Amy smiled at him. The boy was so full of life. She used to be the same when she first started travelling with the Doctor but the experiences changed her so much that even she recognised them.

"Can I…show you something?" Chase asked and Amy looked up to see him frowning at her. "I don't know why I'm showing you, you're a complete stranger! But you remind me of someone a friend used to talk about back in England."

Amy nodded and the boy signalled her to follow. She smiled when he left the gun on the seat, a sign he trusted her. He led her further into the room and brought her to a small metal box with an assortment of alien devices. Scanning over them briefly, she managed to identify a Sontaran blaster and a laser sabre wielded by the Headless Monks. Chase held up a round smooth sphere and Amy frowned. She had seen it somewhere before.

"These were acquired off the Metaltron, the alien…thing in the vaults, but I know that's not its name. I saw one of those creatures before when I was a kid. It killed my father before it was destroyed. This grey haired Scottish man was there. He called it a…a…"

The boy took in a shuddering breath and Amy put a comforting hand on his shoulder, giving him a warm smile. He offered her a small smile back.

"He called it a Dalek."

Amy froze. A thousand different thoughts and emotions raced around in her mind, ranging from fear to anger to absolute terror. She turned around and ran back to the front of the office. Her heart almost stopped when she saw Rose and boy wonder were missing.

"Rose?" She called out. No reply. Terror gripped at the bowels of her stomach as she ran towards the computer and started fiddling around with it. Eventually a small screen popped up on the bottom of the screen with a caption " _The Cage_ ". Amy whirled on Chase, who was staring at her. Amy forced herself to take a deep breath.

"Why didn't you tell Van Statten?" she gritted through her teeth. The boy looked down sheepishly.

"I just joined. The only reason I know they're keeping a Dalek is because of these spheres. Adam showed me them last week." He explained and Amy resisted the urge to scream. She had to think. She had to be rational. The first thing she had to do was warn the Doctor and Rose.

"You have to take me down there." Chase simply nodded, picked up his gun and led the way.

Amy hoped she wasn't too late.

* * *

 **A/N:** And this is the introduction of my second OC, Chase Jackson! When I was making this story, one of the key components that whizzed about in my head was the prospect that Amy would notice things that the Doctor and Rose would miss, such as Chase, because they were busy dealing with other things. I have a rough sketch of his character arc planned out and I can't wait to show you guys!

Also, I've been taking the time to write more chapters before publishing. I've finished _Dalek_ and am now on the second half of _The Long Game._ Hoping to finish some at least up to _Father's Day_ before the end of the school break!


	21. Trapped

_Trapped_

* * *

Amy and Chase managed to make it to the bottom of the complex when the alarms started blaring.

"What's that?" Amy asked her companion, though she already had a hunch.

"That's the emergency alarm." Chase whispered. Recognition and fear flooded his face. "Something bad has happened!"

They continued thundering down the corridors. Amy hoped the Doctor didn't go and do something stupid. They would need his help to get rid of the Dalek. They rounded a corner and Amy ran straight into Rose. The two women yelped and jumped back.

"Amy?" Rose breathed and Amy glared at the girl.

"You shouldn't have left without me. I promised Jackie I'd look after you!" Amy hissed. The peroxide blonde looked down sheepishly. Pretty boy walked over and glared at Chase.

"Why did you bring her for? She's supposed to be quarantine and under supervision!" He hissed at Chase but Amy shoved him roughly.

"Who the hell do you think you're kidding, boy wonder?!" she yelled at him. "You've brought her into danger just because you wanted to impress her!"

Pretty boy glared at his feet and Rose looked chastised. Amy was about to continue yelling at him when the Doctor's face popped up on a screen. Amy then looked around and took in the chaotic surrounding. Soldiers were moving frantically while one was typing on the computer frantically and another one was briefing Chase about the situation.

"Rose, we have to go." Amy hissed urgently. "Van Statten's an idiot. That's a Dalek in the vault. If it gets out, we're all in trouble."

" _You've got to keep it in that cell!"_ The Doctor ordered from the screen. Instead of listening to her, Rose ran towards the computer and Amy groaned.

"Doctor, it's all my fault!"

Chase turned to her. "We really have to leave…"

"I've sealed the compartment," a soldier defended. "It can't get out. That lock's got a billion combinations."

"A billion combinations aren't enough for a Dalek!" Amy yelled at him, growing increasingly frustrated.

" _Amy's right. The Dalek's a genius. It can calculate a thousand billion combinations in one single flat!"_

Amy turned to Rose. "We're leaving. Chase, come on!"

Before they could leave, the soldiers' were pointing their gun at the door. The controls of the cage were whirring erratically and Amy realised it was already breaking out. The door started to open and Amy pulled Chase next to her.

"Open fire!" The leader yelled and they started to fire at the pepper pot. Amy watched as the bullets evaporated before contact or ricochetoff the Dalek's casing while tugging on Rose's sleeve.

The Daleks looked like the ones she was used to except with scorch marks and several orbs missing from when they had tortured it. This was bad. A normal Dalek was evil, a tortured Dalek held a cruel vendetta that it would carry out.

" _Don't shoot it, I want it unharmed_!" Van Statten yelled.

"Oh, shut up!" Amy snapped. "Seriously Rose, we have to go!"

" _Rose, Amy, get out of there!"_ The Doctor's panicked voice cried out. Rose snapped out of her trance and responded when Amy tugged her towards the door, Chase and pretty boy following.

"Wait!" the leader of the soldiers cried out. He turned to the woman as the Dalek made its way to the computer. "De Maggio! You will provide Jackson with backup and every single one of them out alive. That is your job, got that?"

The woman nodded, and followed the four out. "Follow me, you three!" she ordered and ran down the hallway. They all followed her, Amy risking glances back to see if the Dalek was following them. The lights started to flicker and the Dalek's screams reverberated off the walls.

De Maggio paused and pulled out her gun, looking around.

"What's it doing?" pretty boy asked. Amy rolled her eyes.

"And you're supposed to be a genius? It's cutting the power!" As soon as the words left her mouth, the power went out.

"You sound just like the Doctor." Rose noted.

"The lift's not going to work with the power cut." Chase called out. "Follow me!"

They all followed him until they ran into a group of armed soldiers.

"Civilians, let them through!" De Maggio ordered. The soldiers parted to let the five of them pass through quickly. Looking around, Amy realised they were running towards the staircase. She flinched. They didn't know Daleks could fly.

Screams filled the air and Amy tried to block them out as they ran. They seemed to have put Chase off as he suddenly tripped and fell. Amy quickly helped him up.

"Thanks." He said, breathing heavily from all the running. He looked pale and Amy guessed it was from listening to his co-workers scream in agony.

"No need to thank me. Just keep moving!" She ordered and the five resumed running. The piercing screams stopped and Amy gave Rose's hand a quick squeeze when the blonde squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. Every single one of those men had died.

"Go on." De Maggio ordered. "I'll check for survivors. Chase will lead you to where you need to go." Amy didn't have the heart to tell the woman that they were all dead.

"Stairs! That's more like it!" Rose breathed in relief. "It hasn't got legs, it's stuck!"

Amy opened her mouth to speak but De Maggio ran in and pushed them all up. Amy ran up the stairs as fast as you could.

"Wait! Amy!" Chase called out and Amy stopped. She turned around and saw that Chase was the only sensible one that had followed her. Growling, she stormed down the stairs and grabbed Rose's arm.

"Great big alien death machine, defeated by a flight of stairs." Pretty boy declared smugly and Amy kicked him in the leg.

"I swear to god when this is all over I will kill you myself." Amy vowed.

"Now listen to me," De Maggio said. Amy looked behind pretty boy to see her pointing her gun at the Dalek. "I demand you return to your cage. If you want to negotiate, then I guarantee that Mr Van Statten will be willing to talk. I accept that we imprisoned you, and maybe that was wrong, but people have _died_ and that stops right now. The killing stops, have you got that?"

"It's not going to work. Daleks don't have a concept of morality." Amy tried to warn her but De Maggio didn't move.

"I demand you surrender, is that clear?"

"Chase, tell her! We have to go!" Amy hissed. A few seconds passed and nothing happened. Amy dared to glance at the Dalek, who was staring straight back at them.

"… _El…ev...ate."_ The Dalek croaked and slowly lifted itself off the ground. Amy grabbed Rose by the shoulders and forcefully dragged her up the steps. She then kicked Adam in the rib. The pretty boy winced and jumped up after them.

"De Maggio, come on!" Chase cried out.

"Go!" De Maggio yelled in reply. "Someone's got to try. Now get out! Get those civilians to safety. That is your mission. Don't look back, just run!"

Chase looked torn so Amy grabbed the young man by the hand and pulled him up, pushing him in front of her. De Maggio's piercing scream herded them on. The four turned a hallway and ran straight into a room with a bunch of people pointing guns at them.

"I have civilians!" Chase yelled.

"Hold your fire!" The leader ordered. "You four, get the hell out of here!"

They complied and ran down the centre. Amy's eyes briefly scanned the ammunition and weaponry. They heard the Dalek approach and Amy sighed in frustration when her three companions stopped to watch.

"Rose, when this is all over, we are having a _very_ serious talk about when we can stop and watch." Amy hissed. Nevertheless, they all stopped and watched as the Dalek stood motionless in the room. Amy noticed how the eyestalk flickered and dimmed and focused right on them.

Hold on.

No. When the eyestalk dimmed and focused on Rose.

Pretty boy grabbed Rose's hand and tried to drag her down the hall, but the blonde stopped and furrowed her brows.

"It was looking at me."

"Yeah, I noticed that." Amy added. Chase nodded, signalling he had noticed as well.

"So?" Pretty boy shrugged. "It's just a sort of…metal eye thing. It's looking all around."

"No, she's right." Chase piped up.

"It sort of…zoomed in on her specifically. What did you do in there, Rose?"

Amy never got a response because the men started to fire at the Dalek at that exact moment. Peering around the corner with the rest of the group, Amy could see the bullets still had no effect on the Dalek. The Dalek itself was too busy staring at the camera.

Amy realised the Doctor was watching.

"Right, come on. Now would be a good time to run!"

The three nodded and followed after her. Amy tried to ignore the screams of the men and the silence that followed it.

* * *

Amy clambered up the steps as quickly as she could. A loud ringing caught her attention and she turned back to see Rose answer her phone.

"This isn't the best time!" Rose gritted through her teeth. They continued running, unsure of how far behind the Dalek was. "Level 49!" Rose yelled into the phone. "Can't you stop them from closing?"

Amy frowned at the question.

"We have to get to level 46!" Rose informed them. With a renewed burst of adrenaline, Amy thundered up the steps after Adam and Chase.

When they finally reached the correct level, Adam shoved the door open and they were running again. They ran as fast as they could until Amy could see why Rose was so worried. The doors were sealing in an attempt to trap the Dalek. She noticed Rose lagging behind and grabbed her hand.

"Come on!" she cried encouragingly, pushing the girl ahead of her.

"Come on!" Adam repeated, rolling under the door. Chase glanced back at them worriedly before rolling under as well. Amy quickly pushed Rose under the metal door before it closed. She held her breath.

She was trapped on the wrong side with the Dalek. Rose and Chase were pounding on the door, the former shouting and crying.

Her phone started to ring. Amy picked it up with shaking hands. She took a deep breath.

"Hey."

" _I'm sorry."_ The Doctor's pained voice said. " _I can't open the bulkheads without letting the Dalek out."_

"I know." Amy sighed. She rested her head on the metal door. "It's not your fault Doctor, remember that ok? I promised Jackie I'd look after Rose and that's what I did. Do me one favour, won't you? If you find Rory, tell him what happened to me and tell him I told him if he thinks to blame you, I'll haunt the living hell out of his ass."

The Doctor laughed over the phone, but it sounded choked. Amy sighed.

"Besides, if I didn't look after Rose, I would've gotten another slap from Jackie! God forbid!" The Doctor gave her a genuine laugh at that and Amy smiled sadly. "See ya." She whispered, before hanging up. The Doctor didn't need to hear her screams. He felt guilty enough.

She turned around and looked at the Dalek straight in the eyestalk. The cries and shouts had ceased and Amy closed her eyes, revelling in the peace before her death.

" _Exterminate."_

"Yeah," she scoffed, forever flippant in the face of danger. "I kind of guessed that."

* * *

Chase held a writhing and screaming Rose in his hands, willing the lift to go up faster. He had been forced to drag Rose away from the door and take her to the Doctor in hopes of finding a way to help Amy. He knew it was hopeless. So many people had died already.

The lift finally opened and Rose crashed onto the floor. The Doctor tried to wrap his arms around her, but the blonde just pushed him away and curled in on herself, her eyes were red and bloodshot.

"You were quick on your feet, leaving them both behind." The Doctor growled at Adam. "Now I've lost a friend because of you!"

"I'm not the one who sealed the vault!" Adam yelled indignantly.

"This is my fault." Rose whispered from her spot on the floor. "All of it. I guess I was a bit slow."

Chase was about to say something when the screen flickered to life and he felt a huge smile spread across his face.

"Amy!"

"You're alive!" The Doctor gasped happily. Rose jumped off her spot on the ground and looked at the screen with the biggest smile on her face.

"Just keeping you on your toes!" Amy called out, looking like she was reliving a past event. She looked perturbed to be standing next to the Dalek, who was staring right at them.

" _Open the bulkhead or Amy Pond dies!"_ the Dalek declared.

"Doctor, don't you dare." Amy warned him. Chase looked at the Doctor, wondering what was going through the man's head.

" _What use are emotions if you will not show compassion to your friend?"_

The Doctor looked stunned and Chase couldn't figure out why. Amy looked equally stunned, gaping at the Dalek from her awkward position.

"We started on the wrong foot," the Doctor said with conviction. "I never told her how important she is." He glanced at Rose, who nodded quickly.

"Do it." He nodded and hit the enter key. The door slowly opened and Amy scowled at them through the screen.

"Jeez, if looks could kill…" Chase muttered.

"What do we do now? You bleeding heart, what the hell do we do?!" Van Statten roared, sounding paranoid and hysterical.

"Kill it when it gets here!" Adam suggested. Chase shook his head profusely.

"None of the weapons will do any damage. You need a highly concentrated blast to knock out a Dalek." He said, reciting what the grey haired magician had told him. "Besides, the eyestalk is the weakest point but the guns we have won't even leave a scratch."

The Doctor was looking at him strangely but he just shrugged it off.

"All the alien weapons are in the vault." Diana sighed. Chase glared at Adam.

"Only the catalogued ones." Adam conceded. Chase gave a satisfied smirk.

Van Statten raised an eyebrow at him.


	22. Closure

_Closure_

* * *

Amy grew increasingly agitated as she snuck glances at the Dalek as the lift slowly ascended. She had already established that it had absorbed some of Rose's DNA and couldn't kill her because of Rose's love. Now she had to try and find a way to stop the Dalek from killing Van Statten when they arrived. With a shaking hand, she tapped the Dalek on the side.

"Look, please, you don't have to do this." She begged. "You didn't kill me."

" _Why not_?" The Dalek demanded. " _Why are you alive_? _My function is to kill. What am I? What am I?"_

Amy bit her lip but remained silent. She didn't need the Dalek turning on her. The lift finally stopped its ascent and the door opened to reveal the blonde woman, Van Statten and Rose peering inside cautiously.

"Don't move." Amy commanded. "It's starting to question itself."

" _Van Statten_." The Dalek growled. " _You…tortured me. Why_?"

"I wanted to help you! I don't know…I just…I was just trying to help. I thought if we could get through you, if we could _mend_ you- I wanted you better. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I swear, I just wanted you to talk!" the American babbled. Rose moved up and stood beside her. Amy squeezed her arm comfortingly.

" _Then hear me talk now._ " The Dalek said. " _Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate_!"

"Don't do it, don't kill him!" Rose jumped forward before Amy could pull her back. The Dalek turned to look at her. "You don't have to do this anymore. There must be something else. Not just killing. What else is there? What do you want?"

The Dalek turned to Van Statten and they all held their breath. The Dalek finally turned towards Rose.

"I want…freedom."

* * *

Amy and Rose walked with the Dalek through the corridor slowly. Amy kept shooting glances at its gun arm and praying it wouldn't turn on them. Rose didn't seem bothered, keeping up with the Dalek as they walked.

The three stopped and Amy pulled Rose back when the Dalek shot the ceiling. Rubble fell to the ground and sunlight snaked inside and bathed them all in a warm glow. It felt good to feel the sunlight again.

"You're out." Rose congratulated. "You made it. I never thought I'd feel the sunlight again."

" _How does it feel?"_ The Dalek asked. Amy stepped forward and watched as the casing slid apart to reveal the deformed blob of Dalek inside. Its tentacles reached up as if it could touch the sun itself. Amy scrunched her nose. Even though she had seen a Dalek millions of times before, they still disgusted her.

"Get out of the way!"

Amy spun around and saw the Doctor and Chase hold alien weapons at them, anger etched onto their faces. Amy noticed Chase was trembling and walked over to comfort him.

"Chase…it's okay." She said softly. The boy continued to tremble.

"Those things killed my father." He whispered, straightening slightly. "I have to kill it."

"Rose, get out of the way!" The Doctor ordered. "Now!"

"No!" Rose's whispered defiantly. "Cos I won't let you do this!"

"That thing killed hundreds of people!" The Doctor snapped.

"We have to kill it!" Chase added. Amy continued to walk towards him slowly. "Amy, don't you dare stop me from doing this!"

"It's not the one pointing the gun at me." Rose pointed out softly.

"If we kill it, we commit genocide." Amy said softly. Chase trembled even more, his resolve breaking slowly. "It's the last of its kind."

"I've done it before." The Doctor said shakily. "I've got to do this. I've got to end it. The Daleks destroyed my _home,_ my _people_ …I've got nothing left."

"There's always something else." Amy whispered and the Doctor started to shake as well. They were both lashing their anger, fear and despair at the Dalek, the only thing they could lash out on.

"You've got us," Amy reminded him gently before turning to Chase and holding out her hand. "And you've still got the rest of your family. Do you think your father would really want you to commit genocide for revenge?"

"Look at it!" Rose pleaded. Amy didn't turn around. She kept her gaze locked on Chase and her hand outstretched for him to hand over the gun when he was ready.

"What's it doing?" The Doctor asked.

"It's the sunlight!" Rose replied. "That's all it wants!"

"But it can't…" the Doctor tried feebly.

"It couldn't kill Van Statten," Rose tried. "It couldn't kill me or Amy. It's changing. What about you Doctor? What the hell are you changing into?"

The words seemed to have shaken Chase to the core because he gently gave Amy the gun and collapsed on the ground.

"It couldn't…" the Doctor stuttered. "I wasn't…Oh Rose. They're all dead."

"I wanted to avenge my father." Chase whispered. "He wouldn't me to, though. He was always a peaceful man."

"Once you have blood on your hands, it's hard to overcome the terror." Amy said gently, kneeling down next to the cowering form, remembering how she felt when she murdered Kovarian.

" _Why do we survive?"_

"I don't know." The Doctor sighed resignedly.

" _I am the last of the Daleks."_ It gurgled, sounding like it was having trouble speaking.

"You're not even that." The Doctor mused. They all turned to look at him. "Rose did more than regenerate you. You absorbed her DNA. You're mutating."

"Isn't that better?" Rose questioned.

"Not for a Dalek." The Doctor said sadly.

" _I can feel so many ideas. So much darkness…Rose…give me orders! Order me to die!"_ The Dalek roared. Amy helped Chase onto his feet, making sure he didn't fall.

"I can't do that." Rose whispered.

" _This is not life. This is sickness."_ The Dalek declared and Amy stared at it incredulously. " _I shall not be like you! Order my destruction! Obey! Obey!"_

"Do it." Rose said shakily, taking a deep breath.

" _Are you frightened, Rose Tyler?_ "

"Yeah..." Rose answered truthfully. The Dalek opened its eyes.

" _So am I….exterminate."_

Rose stumbled backwards and ran to the Doctor's side. They all watched as the remaining bronze spheres on the Dalek dispersed and floated around it. The metal casing slowly concealed the metal blob before an energy field surrounded it. A second later, everything disappeared.

The Dalek was gone. With it went Chase's vendetta.

* * *

After the incident, they explained to Van Statten that the crisis was over. He nodded curtly and walked off with Goddard and some men. Adam and Chase had left to change and pack up. Amy walked towards the TARDIS with the Doctor and Rose. The Doctor stroked the ship fondly.

"Little piece of home. Better than nothing."

"Is that the end?" Rose asked. "The Time War?"

"I'm the only one left. _I win…_ how about that." He said sadly. Amy stroked his arm gently. He offered her a sad smile.

"The Dalek survived…" Rose pointed out and Amy winced. They would keep on surviving in the future. Always one step ahead of the Doctor. "Maybe some of your people did too."

The Doctor shook his head. "No…I'd know. In here." He tapped his head. "Feels like there's no one."

"Well then," Rose smiled at him. "Good thing we're not going anywhere."

"Yeah…" The Doctor smiled sadly before turning to Amy. "You knew about the Daleks."

"Yup." Amy replied simply. Rose was looking at her curiously.

"Yeah, how did you know about the Daleks?" she asked.

"She's not the only one." Chase grumbled as he walked up to them. "I knew about them too, so it can't be that much of a secret."

"You okay?" Amy asked the boy. She forgot he was about the same age as Rose.

"No." He answered truthfully before smiling ruefully. "I will be. One day." He turned to the Doctor. "Maybe we both will."

"Well, I guess we'd better just look after each other until then." The Doctor smiled at Amy. Amy gasped. He wasn't suggesting…

"What do you mean?" Chase inquired, looking at the Doctor strangely. The Doctor grinned and looped a hand around his shoulders.

"Amy tells me you're one for adventure, and you were willing to let go of your vendetta to help others. It's what I look for in companions. I only take the best. That's why I have these two."

Amy and Rose grinned at each other.

"I still don't understand what you're talking about." Chase answered.

"Hey!" Adam cried out, running towards them. Amy rolled her eyes. Maybe if she glared at him, he would go away. "We'd better get out. Van Statten's disappeared…they're closing down the base." He trailed off. Amy glared and the Doctor folded his arms. "Goddard says they're going to fill it full of cement like it never existed!"

"About time." Rose sighed, voicing her approval. Amy nodded in agreement.

"I'll have to go home." Adam sighed dejectedly.

"Better hurry up then. Next flight to Heathrow leaves in 1500 hours." The Doctor dismissed him. Amy thought that was the end of it and was about to walk into the TARDIS when Rose looked at the Time Lord incredulously.

"Adam was saying that all his life he wanted to see the stars…" she trailed off, looking at him innocently.

"Tell him to go and stand outside then." The Doctor scoffed. Amy snickered but agreed with his intentions. She had a bad feeling about Adam.

"He's all on his own, Doctor and he did help. Besides, we're taking Chase with us, aren't we? What's one more person?"

"He didn't wait for you guys to catch up down there!" The Doctor protested.

"Neither did you!" Rose argued back. Chase tugged on Amy's arms.

"Erm…what are we all doing?" he asked and Amy snickered. She signalled for him to wait.

"What are you guys talking about? We've got to leave!" Adam exclaimed, gesturing towards the exit frantically.

"Rose, he's a bit pretty." The Doctor said, keeping his gaze on Rose. Amy couldn't let the little giggle that escaped her lips. Maybe it would be good to keep Adam around for a little while.

"I hadn't noticed." Rose replied innocently. The Doctor and Amy exchanged similar looks and raised identical eyebrows at Rose.

"What're you doing?" Adam asked them. Rose looked at the Doctor one last time and the man finally relented.

"On your own head." He shrugged and opened the door. They all climbed inside, waiting for Adam to wander inside. Chase looked at the console room with a childlike glee.

"It's…it's…" Chase gasped. They all grinned. "Bigger on the inside!"

"Welcome aboard, Chase Jackson!" Amy grinned.

"Doctor?" Adam's voice called out. "What're you doing inside a wooden box? ...Rose? …Amy…Chase?"

The boy slowly walked inside and gaped at the interior. Amy couldn't help frowning at him. She hoped they had made the right decision bringing Adam with them. There was something familiar about him and it unsettled her.

* * *

Rory gasped. The final golden remnants dispersed and he examined his surroundings. The crazy girl had sent him to some sort of room. Everybody in the room was in chaos. People were pushing and screaming and a man was being held down by guards.

He looked up and saw a crazy looking man standing next somebody strapped in a chair. His heart stopped when their eyes locked.

Suddenly, Rory felt hands grab his own and the world went dark.


	23. Showing Off

_Showing off_

* * *

The next day Amy was sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee and going through her notes. The Doctor popped his head around the corner and looked at her strangely.

"What you doing?" he questioned. She waved her hand dismissively.

"Nothing much, I'm just plotting the novel that I'm writing." She replied before attacking a sheet of paper with her pen. The TARDIS hummed and projected ideas and constructive criticism into her head. Amy smiled and mentally thanked the ship.

"You're writing a book and she's helping you?" The Doctor looked at her strangely. Amy shrugged and he grinned. "Fantastic! Let me see!"

"What? No!" Amy shouted as the Doctor sat next to her and snatched a sheet. Amy snatched it back. "Go away, it's not finished!"

"I only want to see!" he persisted and tried to snatch the sheet out of her grasp. Amy pushed her chair backwards so the paper was out of the Doctor's reach.

"You can see when it's good enough!" she snapped. The Doctor stopped and looked at her strangely.

"You don't think it's good enough?" he asked and Amy deflated. She started fiddling with her pen and refused to meet his gaze.

"Not really. I mean, I used to write travel articles but this is something entirely different." She mumbled. The Doctor laughed and patted her shoulder.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." He assured her. Amy smirked at him.

"You're awfully chipper. I wonder if it's because-"

"Oh don't start." He sighed. Amy smirk widened into a grin. She was going to continue her bullying when Chase walked into the kitchen, the look of wonder still plastered to his face. He looked much better than he did yesterday.

"Morning." Amy greeted and the boy smiled at her. He sat down and a plate of pancakes appeared in front of him. Amy laughed at the look of shock on his face.

"That happened this morning." He said. "When I walked into the shower, it was already running and at the right temperature!"

"It's the TARDIS, she does that." Amy assured, smiling at the ceiling. The TARDIS gurgled in reply.

"Your ship is seriously amazing Doctor." Chase smiled as he began to eat. The Doctor smiled at the man cheerfully.

"Isn't she just?"

The sound of laughing alerted Amy that Rose and Adam were close. Sure enough, the two walked in laughing about something Adam had said. Amy had to sip her coffee to restrain her laughter when she noticed the scowl that had formed on the Doctor's lips.

Rose and Adam each took a seat and two plates of food appeared in front of them. Adam looked at the plate in disbelief. Amy went back to working on the papers in front of her.

"Oh, what are you working on?" Adam asked, trying to snatch the papers from her. Amy quickly grabbed the papers and held them out of his reach. She didn't like the greedy look on the boy's face.

"None of your business, that's what!" She snapped and Adam looked down at his food sheepishly. Rose shot her a glare and Amy gave her a shrug in response. The rest of breakfast went by quickly and the Doctor was already on his feet.

"Right then, you lot!" he exclaimed, grabbing Rose by the hand and pulling her up. "You've had your human domesticity. Let's have some fun!"

The Doctor pulled Rose by the hand out of the kitchen, quickly followed by Adam. Amy was about to leave when Chase grabbed her hand. She looked at him questioningly.

"I just wanted to know if there was a way if I could thank it?" he paused and looked chastised. "Sorry, if I could thank her."

Amy smiled at him. "You're probably the companion with the best manners." He looked down sheepishly. "Just think it, she'll pick it up."

Chase nodded and a second later, the TARDIS gurgled happily. A smile made its way onto his face.

"That is amazing."

"It really is." She grinned. "Now come on, adventure awaits!"

The walk to the control room was suspiciously long and Amy glared at the ceiling. Finally, Chase cleared his throat.

"I'm probably asking way too many questions but what's the deal with the Doctor and Rose? Are they together, or…?"

"I doubt Rose would be flirting with Adam if they were together." Amy snorted and Chase laughed.

"No, I guess not."

"Give me time. I'm working on it." She shot him a conspiratorial look and they both laughed. Amy found it easy to talk to the kid. It was different than when she first met Rose. Chase reminded her of Rory and she couldn't help but be fond of him because of that.

The two finally made it to the console room. Rose and Adam were chatting happily and the Doctor kept shooting glances at them. Amy had to stifle her giggle. The Doctor finally noticed them and grinned.

"So, because I haven't travelled with this many people in a long time, and because Adam and Chase have just joined, I thought I'd set it to random."

Before Amy could respond, the Doctor already pressed the button and they were off. She grabbed the railing expertly and stopped Chase from crashing onto the floor. When they landed, Amy laughed when Adam fell on his face. She stopped when the Doctor quickly signalled her over. She joined the Doctor and Rose outside and they huddled together conspiratorially.

"So, it's 200 000, it's a spaceship…no wait a minute, space _station_ , and uh…go try that gate over there. Off you go!" He leaned against the TARDIS and Rose grinned at him.

"200 000?"

"200 000." He confirmed.

"Kay." Rose sighed. She opened the TARDIS door with a giggle. "Come on out, you two."

Adam and Chase stumbled out of the TARDIS. The wistful expressions on their face made Amy smile.

"Don't worry, you get used to it." Rose assured with a grin.

"Where are we?" Adam asked. Amy examined her surroundings in better detail. They were in a large room. Red lights glowed from the floor and yellow lights were splayed across the ceiling. The walls were metal and televisions were sprawled across the room.

"Good question. Let's see…" Rose pretended to think. "So, um…judging by the _architecture_ , I'd say we're around the year 200 000. Look, if you listen…engines."

Amy bit her lip to hide her smile as Rose explained their surroundings to an awestruck Adam. She noticed Chase had already wandered off.

"We're on some sort of space station…yeah, definitely a space station. It's a bit warm in here. They could turn the heating down…"

Amy nodded her agreement. The area was ridiculously warm.

"Can we look in here?" Chase asked and Amy noticed he had already wandered towards the door that the Doctor had pointed out. She laughed at the Time Lord's crestfallen expression.

"Well, he's definitely companion material." Amy hummed. "He's already wandering off."

The Doctor grumbled as they followed Chase into the room. Amy patted him on the arm and smiled innocently when he glared at her.

They found themselves on an observation deck overlooking Earth.

"Here we go! And this is…" Rose trailed off, gazing at Earth in wonder. Adam looked like he was about to fall over while Chase was looking down at Earth with a dazed smile. "I'll let the Doctor describe it."

"The Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire!" The Doctor declared. "And there it is. Planet Earth at its height, covered with mega cities, five moons- population ninety six billion. The hub of a galactic domain, stretching across a million planets, a million species- with mankind right in the middle."

Adam fainted and crashed to the ground.

"Um…" Chase looked at the boy in surprise while Amy howled with laughter, gripping to the railing tightly to keep her upright.

"He's your _boyfriend._ " The Doctor said drily.

"Not anymore." Rose huffed. " _Shut up,_ Amy."

"No chance." Amy said between her laughter. "This is way too funny."

* * *

They eventually managed to wake Adam up and drag him away from the observation deck. Amy was still giggling and Rose kept shooting her glares.

"This isn't real." Adam declared when the Doctor and Chase talked ahead of them. "It's too…surreal, too impossible! This is just a dream right?"

"Wrong." Amy said seriously. "You were killed by that Dalek yesterday."

"I was?" Adam paled. Rose glared at her from behind Adam's shoulder and Amy laughed at him.

"She's kidding." The Doctor chuckled as he wrapped an arm around Adam and Rose's shoulders. "Come on Adam! Open your mind! Chase already has, why can't you be like him? You're gonna like this fantastic period of history. The Human race at its most intelligent! Culture, Art, Politics! This era has got fine food, good manners-"

"Aliens?" Chase asked excitedly. The Doctor was about to reply when a man roughly shoved past him.

"Out of my way!"

"Well, excuse you, mate!" Amy yelled after him.

With that, the entire room was drenched in chaos. Booths opened up and people stuck their heads out. People quickly ran up to them and were ordered to stand in a line. They yelled and waved money, often shoving people near them. Food was passed back and forth.

"My, what good manners they have!" Amy said, mimicking the accent of the wolf pretending to be Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother. She knew the Doctor hated that children's tale. Chase and Rose giggled at her joke and the Doctor glared at her.

"Fine cuisine?" Rose chuckled, joining Amy in teasing their friend.

"I wonder if they have Big Paulie's Sausage." Amy wondered aloud, remembering her trip to New York with the Doctor before that whole mess on the Byzantium.

"My watch must be wrong…" The Doctor frowned, tapping his wristwatch. "No it's fine…weird."

The Doctor was never wrong with things like these. Amy deduced something was wrong straight away.

"That's what comes with showing off," Rose smirked. "Your history's not as good as you thought it was."

"My history's perfect!" The Doctor argued, perplexed.

"Well, obviously not." Rose teased. The Doctor rolled his eyes at her and Rose gave him her tongue-between-teeth smile.

"They're all human." Chase pointed out.

"Yeah, what about the millions of planets? The millions of species? Where are they?" Adam added.

"Good question. Actually," The Doctor looked at the two new arrivals appraisingly. "That _is_ a good question. Adam, me old mate, you must be starving!" The Doctor exclaimed as he looped his arm around his shoulder. Amy decided not to point out they had breakfast a while ago.

"No, I'm just a bit time sick."

Amy scoffed at him. The Doctor and Rose glared at her and she raised her hands in surrender.

"Nah," The Doctor turned to Adam. "You just need a bit of grub." He walked over to one of the booths. "Oi, mate- how much for a Cronk burger?"

"Two credits twenty sweetheart." A man answered. "Now, join the queue!"

"Money!" The Doctor realised. "We need money. Let's use a cashpoint." He walked over to a cash machine, and Amy closely followed. Soon, they were all standing around and watched as the Doctor pointed his screwdriver at the machine.

"Does he do this often?" Chase asked curiously.

"All the time." Amy and Rose replied simultaneously, sharing an eye roll. They turned their attention back to the man as he held out a metal strip to Adam.

"There you go- pocket money. Don't spend it all on sweets."

He smiled before walking off.

"How does it work?" Adam questioned, examining the strip.

"Go and find out! Stop nagging me!" An exasperated Doctor cried. "The thing is Adam, time travel's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book. You've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers!"

"Yeah, that's just you." Amy said aloud and Rose giggled. The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"Stop asking questions! Go on, just _do_ it!" He turned to Amy. "You and Chase come with me. Rose, off you go, your first date!"

"Have fun!" Amy cried out sweetly.

"You two are gonna get a smack you are!" Rose chuckled. "Look at Chase. He's the most sensible of us all!"

Chase blushed in embarrassment and Amy nudged him. "See? Everybody agrees!"

Rose and Adam walked off to stand in line. As soon as they were out of view, the Doctor's grin faded into a scowl. Amy sighed.

"Something's happening, right?" she asked. Chase looked surprised.

"Oh yeah." The Doctor sighed.

"Wait, if you think there's trouble, shouldn't I go with Rose and Adam?" Chase questioned.

"Of course not! I thought you were one for adventure!" the Doctor replied.

"I am but why'd you leave Adam with Rose and bring me with you?"

"Too many people." The Doctor replied easily. Amy knew immediately he was lying. He didn't trust Adam. "We'd draw way too much attention. Besides, it gives Rose time to spend with her _boyfriend_."

Amy was about to give a sassy retort when the Doctor grabbed Chase and approached two women. She grudgingly walked up to them.

"Floor 139…could they write it any bigger?" the pretty black woman with cornrows pointed out. Amy followed the finger and saw the words _Floor 139_ emblazoned into the wall.

"Floor 139 of what? What do you lot do?" Chase questioned.

"Must've been one hell of a party," cornrow girl chuckled.

"Oh, you're on Satellite Five." The second pale girl supplied with a shy smile.

"What's Satellite Five?" Amy blurted out. She turned to see if the Doctor knew but he looked as clueless as she felt.

"Come on," cornrow girl scoffed. "How could you get on board without knowing where you are?"

The Doctor grinned. "Look at us, we're stupid!"

"Well he's the pilot, so that makes him the stupid one." Amy quipped. Chase chuckled and the Doctor huffed.

"Hang on a minute! Are you a test?" The second girl asked curiously. "Some sort of management test kind of thing?"

"You've got us. Well done. You're too clever for me." The Doctor said. His sarcasm was expertly masked as he waved the psychic paper in their face. Chase looked at the billfold curiously but kept his mouth shut. Smart.

"We were warned about this in basic training," the pale girl informed cornrow girl. "All workers have to be versed in _company promotion._ "

"Right." Cornrow girl straightened with a smile. "Fire away, ask your questions. If it gets me to floor 500 I'll do anything."

"What's floor 500?" The Doctor asked immediately, sending Amy a look that told her to let him do the talking. "What's up there?"

"The walls are made of gold." Cornrow girl stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Amy scoffed.

"Bit much, isn't it?" cornrow girl gave her an uneasy look. "Carry on…"

"You three should know- management and all…but this is what we do."

Cornrow girl walked away and Amy quickly followed her. They arrived at the line of televisions on the side.

"Latest news!" she announced. "Sandstorms on new Venus Archipelago, two hundred dead, Glasgow water riots into their third day…space lane 77 closed by sunspot activity and over on the Bad Wolf channel, the Face of Boe has announced he's pregnant with the Duke of Wale's third child."

Amy raised an eyebrow. Her mind wandered back to Kai Magma and she wondered where the freelancing bounty hunter was now.

"We get it, you broadcast the news." The Doctor bit. Chase was staring at the monitors dazed. Amy put an arm on his shoulder and he gave her a smile.

"We _are_ the news." Cornrow girl corrected him snappily. The second pale girl smiled nervously at them. Amy smiled back. "We're the journalists. We write it, package it and then sell it. Six hundred channels all coming out of Satellite Five, broadcasting everywhere. Nothing happens in the Human Empire without it going through us."

Amy couldn't see what was wrong but the Doctor obviously did. After they finished their promotional lecture, Cathica and Suki, the two women, led them further into floor 139. Amy stopped suddenly.

"We should pick up Rose and Adam."

"They're fine!" The Doctor assured her. "They're on their _date._ "

Amy glared at him adamantly and he eventually conceded. He turned around to look at the two stragglers who were laughing about something or other.

"Oi, Mutt and Jeff! Over here!" Rose jumped up and skipped towards them happily. Chase tugged on her arm and pointed at Adam who was pocketing Rose's super phone. Amy decided to call him out on it later. They were quickly ushered into a room by Cathica and Suki.

* * *

They were led into a small, white room. There was a device hanging in the air. A bright light shone from it and Amy tried to avoid looking at it for too long. Below it was an Octagonal platform with a chair on a raised platform. Around it were six pillows occupied by people, including Suki.

They all walked behind a safety rail and watched as Cathica gave a speech. Suki cut in on something Cathica said and was punished with a glare from cornrow girl herself. Cathica then seated herself on the chair and when she was comfortable, let out a deep breath.

"And…engage safety."

The staff placed their hands in the pads in front of them. Each wall in the room lit up. Cathica clicked her fingers and Amy gasped when her head opened up. She scrunched her nose in disgust and calmed her stomach. She shoved Adam back when he bumped into her while he was trying to get a better look.

The staff then closed their eyes.

"And three…two…and spike!"

A beam of light shot out of the device above and went straight into Cathica's head.

"That's disgusting." Amy yelped. Chase looked as disturbed as her.

"Doctor, what is that?" he asked.

"Compressed information streaming into her," the Doctor explained for their benefit. "Reports from every city, every country, every planet, and they all get packaged inside her head. She becomes part of the software. Her brain is the computer."

"Doesn't her mind burn up?" Amy asked.

"She must be a genius." Rose murmured.

The Doctor shook his head. "Nah. She wouldn't remember any. There's too much, her head would blow up."

"Lovely." Amy sighed.

"So what about all these people round the edge?" Rose asked, kneeling down next to them.

"They've all got tiny chips in their head, connecting them to her and they transmit 600 channels. Every single fact in the empire beams out of this place."

"So this is bad, yeah?" Amy asked.

"Very bad." The Doctor agreed.

"You alright?" she heard Rose ask Adam.

"I can see her brain."

"Thank you, captain obvious." Amy muttered.

"Do you want to get out?" A worried Rose asked. Amy turned to Chase.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He assured her. "I'm probably going to have to deal with worse if I'm going to travel with you guys."

The Doctor slapped him on the shoulder fondly.

"No...No. This technology it's…it's amazing."

"This technology's wrong." The Doctor replied.

Amy turned to look at him looking between the orb and Cathica.

"Trouble?" Rose asked with a grin.

The Doctor and Rose shared a grin. "Oh yeah."

Amy caught Chase's eye and they also shared a grin. The lights started to flash off abruptly. Suki gasped and pulled her hands back as if she was shocked. The other members also started to remove their hands. The beam stopped streaming and Cathica's head snapped close.

"Come off it, Suki!" Cathica snapped at her. "I wasn't even halfway, what was that for?"

"Sorry, must've been a glitch." She looked down at the pad helplessly.

Cathica turned to look at the Doctor. "I'm very sorry, sir. It seems our systems are experiencing some difficulties."

"That's alright. I think I've got all I needed." The Doctor gave her a fake grin.

A loudspeaker then echoed around the room. _"Promotion!"_

Cathica started to jump up and down in excitement. She clasped her hands together. "This is it. Come on. God, make it me. Come on, say my name."

Amy glanced at Cathica strangely, wondering what was so special about Floor 500 to make her so desperate. The only thing she knew about it was that there were gold walls.

" _Promotion for… Suki Macrae Cantrell."_

Suki gaped at the screen while Cathica stared at her incredulously.

" _Please proceed to floor 500."_

Suki slowly stood up, staring at the screen in disbelief. "I don't believe it…floor 500…"

"How the hell did you manage that?" Cathica growled bitterly. "I'm above you!"

Suki broke into a grin. "I don't know, I just applied on the off chance…and they've said yes!" the girl jumped up and down excitedly.

Cathica crossed her arms. "That's so not fair. I've been applying to floor 500 for three years!"

"What's floor 500?" Rose asked them. Amy looked at the excited girl strangely.

"The walls are made of gold." The Doctor replied.

* * *

Suki managed to fit all her personal possessions into a small duffle bag. They all crowded around her as she giggled excitedly and thanked them all. Cathica glared at her with her arms crossed.

"Cathica, I'm going to miss you! Floor 500!" Suki gasped wistfully and then turned to the Doctor. "Thank you!"

"I didn't do anything." The Doctor shrugged.

"Well, you're my lucky charm!" Suki grinned.

"Alright!" The Doctor looked elated. Amy raised an eyebrow. "I'll hug anyone!"

Suki hugged him fondly. She then turned to her. "Thank you too!"

"Anytime." Amy smiled at her. She then turned and hugged Chase, who patted her back awkwardly. Rose finished talking to Adam and walked over to them.

"Oh my god, I've got to go!" Suki gasped. "I can't keep them waiting!" she grabbed her bag and ran to the elevator excitedly. "I'm sorry! Say goodbye to Steve for me!" She yelled. The elevator began to close. "Bye!"

"Good riddance." Cathica bit.

"She's only going upstairs." Chase pointed out. "I'm sure she'll be back."

Cathica looked at him strangely. "What are you talking about? We won't. Once you go up to floor 500, you never come back."

Amy felt her stomach sink. She looked at the elevator and wondered what exactly went on up on floor 500.


	24. Not Management

_Not Management_

* * *

The Doctor had managed to get Cathica to take them all to the brain room again with the hints of a promotion. He made himself comfortable on the chair and Amy stood behind him.

"Look, they only give us twenty minutes maintenance, can't you give it a rest?" she groaned.

"But you've never been to another floor? Not even one floor down?" The Doctor questioned. Amy frowned. She had seen the lift so she couldn't understand why they didn't use it.

"I went to floor 16 when I first arrived." Cathica explained. "That's medical, that's where I got my head done, and then I came straight here. Satellite Five- you work, eat, and sleep on the same floor. That's it, that's all."

"But if you eat and sleep here, why don't they come back down?" Chase asked. The Doctor looked at him appraisingly. Cathica straightened and looked at them differently.

"You're not management, are you?"

"At last, she's clever!" The Doctor grinned.

"Yeah, well, whatever it is, don't involve me. I don't know anything." Cathica replied nervously.

"Yeah, we kind of guessed that." Amy quipped. The Doctor and Rose smiled.

"Don't you even ask?" The Doctor asked her.

"Well, why _would_ I?"

"You're a _journalist!"_ The Doctor exclaimed in disbelief. "Why's all the crew human?"

"There's no aliens on board. Why?"

"I don't know." Cathica flapped about for a bit. "No real reason, they're not banned or anything."

The Doctor looked around the room dramatically. "Then where are they?"

"I suppose immigrations tightened up." Cathica didn't sound very sure. "It's had to, what with all the threats."

Amy's ears perked up. "What threats?"

"I don't know." Cathica spluttered. "All of them. Usual stuff and the price of space warp doubled so that kept visitors away…"

Amy waited for Cathica to realise something was wrong. They already figured it out through their investigations. They were just waiting for Cathica to realise as well.

"Oh! The government on Chavic Five collapsed so that lot stopped coming. You see. Just…lots of little reasons, that's all."

"Adding up to one great big fact and you didn't even notice." The Doctor hummed.

"Doctor, I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Satellite Five would have seen it. We see everything."

"Except what happens up on Floor 500." Amy pointed out and Cathica's mouth opened and closed like a fish, trying to formulate an argument.

"This whole society is in the wrong shape," The Doctor explained. "Even the technology."

"It's cutting edge!" Cathica defended.

"It's _backwards_!" The Doctor scoffed. "There's a great big door in your head! You should've chucked that out years ago!"

"So what do you think is going on?" Rose asked him.

"It's not just the space station, it's the whole attitude. It's the way people think. The Great and Bountiful Human Empire's stunted. Something's hold it back."

"How would you know?" Cathica glowered. Amy smiled softly.

"Trust him. He's a Doctor." Everybody looked at her strangely but Amy didn't elaborate.

"Humanity's been set back about 900 years. When did Satellite Five start broadcasting?"

"91 years ago." Cathica replied reluctantly. Amy looked down and noticed the Doctor was already deep in thought.

* * *

"We are _so_ going to get into trouble." Cathica hissed as they worked on the computer and the long wires. "You're not allowed to touch the mainframe, you're gonna get told off!"

"Rose, tell her to button it." The Doctor said over his shoulder.

"You can't just vandalise the place, someone's gonna notice!" Cathica bit back.

"I doubt it." Amy scoffed. "You thought we were management!"

"That's different!" Cathica replied indignantly. "No one on floor 139 has clearance to go into the mainframe. They'll know something's up!"

"No they won't." The Doctor replied simply. He started fiddling around and soon, sparks started to fly around.

"This has nothing to do with me. I'm going back to work!" Cathica declared. Amy turned to see the woman walking away quickly.

"Go on then! See ya!"

"Well, I can't just leave you, can I?" Cathica asked, turning around and walking up to them again.

"That's the spirit!" Amy grinned and then turned around again.

"If you wanna be useful, get 'em to turn the heating down, it's boiling." Rose sighed, fanning her face. "What's wrong with this place, can't they do something about it?"

"I don't know, we keep asking, something to do with the turbines." An exasperated Cathica explained.

" _Something to do with the turbines."_ The Doctor scoffed.

"Well I don't know!" Cathica roared, sounding frustrated.

"Exactly!" the Doctor sighed. "I give up on you Cathica. Now Rose, look at Rose. Rose is asking the right kind of questions."

Rose straightened and grinned. "Oh, thank you!"

"Now look at Amy and Chase. They're both silently observing and noticing faults." He went on and Amy grinned with pride. " _Why is it so hot?"_

"One minute you're worried about the Empire and the next it's central heating!" Cathica sighed. The Doctor ripped out a handful of wires and stared at them.

"Even Van Sttaten's workers wouldn't work in conditions like this." Chase murmured.

"Yeah, my mate Shareen works in an office and when there was a problem like this, they all just sat about and did nothing 'til it got fixed." Rose added.

"And here you are not doing anything about it." Amy told the woman. Cathica flushed and looked away quickly.

"Here we go," The Doctor exclaimed triumphantly. Amy turned to see he had finished hacking into the mainframe. He pulled a screen across for Cathica to examine. "Satellite Five. Pipes and plumbing, never underestimate the power of plumbing, plumbing is very important. Look at the layout."

Cathica stared at the screen. "This is ridiculous. You've got access to the computer's core. You can look at the archives, the news, the stock exchange…and you're looking at pipes?" she looked at him incredulously.

"But there's something wrong." The Doctor pointed out.

"I suppose…" Cathica admitted after studying the screen.

"Why? What is it?" Rose asked. Amy leaned forward, noticing something odd.

"That's not how it's supposed to be…" she muttered.

"The ventilation system," Cathica explained to Rose. "Cooling ducts, ice filters all working flat out…channelling massive amounts of heat _down_."

"What could generate this amount of heat?" Chase speculated.

"Whatever it is," the Doctor looked up. "It's all the way at the top."

"Floor 500." Rose whispered.

"Something up there is generating tons and tons of heat."

"Well, I don't know about you but I feel like I'm missing out on a party. It's all going on upstairs. Fancy a trip?" Rose smirked.

"You can't, you need a key." Cathica pointed out.

"Keys are just codes," the Doctor explained. "And I've got the codes right here." He turned around and started fiddling with the screen. After a few seconds he pulled back triumphantly. "Here we go- override 215.9."

"Oh come on!" Cathica yelled incredulously. "How come it's _giving_ you the key?"

"She's right, it was too easy." Amy voiced her agreement. An uneasy feeling formed in her stomach. "Do you think it's a trap?"

"Most likely," the Doctor agreed, looking up. "Someone up there likes me." Amy looked up and saw he was staring into a camera. There wasn't a single doubt in her mind that somebody wasn't watching them right now.

* * *

The elevator opened and they all clambered in. Cathica was watching them nervously.

"Come with us!" Rose urged the woman. Cathica just shook her head vigorously.

"No way!"

"Your loss." Amy shrugged.

"Bye!" the Doctor waved cheerily.

Cathica looked at them wistfully, but then straightened up and looked determined. "Well, don't mention my name. When you get in trouble, just don't involve me." She skulked away.

"Guess not everyone is cut out for adventuring." Chase mused.

"Well, that's her gone." The Doctor grinned. "Adam's given up. Looks like it'll just be us four."

"Where _is_ Adam?" Amy asked. The thought had just occurred to her.

"He needed to get it away from it all for a while. He's on the observation deck." Rose explained.

"Is that a good idea? He fainted last time." Amy snorted.

"Oh well." The Doctor said cheerily, smiling at Rose. Rose grinned back at him. Amy noticed the Doctor take Rose's hand into his own and shared a knowing smile with Chase.

The elevator ride was longer than Amy had expected. The door eventually opened and they were greeted by a blast of cold air. Wrapping her jacket tightly around herself, Amy carefully walked out after the Doctor.

The room was dark with a film of ice covering everything. She breathed into her hands to warm them and noticed that she could see Rose and Chase's breath.

"The walls are not made of gold." The Doctor muttered. Amy huffed and walked past him.

"Don't even try." She warned. The Doctor conceded and led the way. They walked further into a hall and noticed that the beams had fallen, revealing the age of their surroundings. Wires hung loosely from the ceiling and Amy couldn't help but compare it to a horror movie. She heard a scream behind her and turned to see Rose jumping away from a corpse. Chase's face paled.

"That's a dead person." He whispered.

"Nothing we can do about it." The Doctor shrugged and walked off, Rose quickly following him. Chase kept looking at the body and Amy had to pull him away.

"That's horrible." He said at last.

"I know but the Doctor's right." Amy said gently. "There's nothing we can do about it."

Chase looked like he was about to be sick but nodded.

They walked further down the hall and found one accessible entrance. They walked inside and found a ramp. Standing on the ramp was a tall man. His hair was white from long exposure to the harsh coolness of the area and a layer of ice hung from his hair and eyebrows. He wore a meticulous black suit and was smiling coldly at them.

"I started without you. This is fascinating. Satellite Five contains every piece of information within the Great and Bountiful Human Empire. Birth certificates, shopping habits, bank statements…but you _four_ ….you don't exist."

" _Spooky."_ Chase mocked the man. The man laughed at them.

"Not a trace!" he exclaimed gleefully. Amy groaned. The man was insane. She hated the insane ones. They always ended up flirting with her. "No birth, no jobs…not the slightest kiss. How can you walk through the world and not leave a single footprint?"

Amy was about to respond with a witty comment when Rose ran down the ramp towards a person. A lump in her throat formed when she realised it was Suki, noticeable more dead than before.

"Hello? Can you hear me? Suki?" Rose tried. When she didn't get a response, she turned to the man angrily. "What have you done to her?!"

"I think she's dead." The Doctor said gently. Amy noticed Chase was trembling and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. He gave her a weak smile.

Rose seemed to be in denial as she shook her head a second later. "She's working…"

"They've all got chips in their head, and the chips keep working, like puppets." The Doctor explained and the man looked at him with a grin.

"You're _full_ of information! But it's only fair that we get information back because, apparently, you're no one." He laughed as if it was a funny joke. "It's so rare not to know something, who are you?"

"None of your business." Amy snapped. The Doctor pulled her back.

"It doesn't matter," he replied. "'Cause we're off. Come on."

They turned to leave but the corpses jumped up and grabbed them. Chase struggled against his guards and Amy tried to kick hers, but the zombie wouldn't budge.

"Why does this always happen?" she grunted. "This is Cardiff all over again."

"You're awfully calm." Chase pointed out. Amy smiled at him.

"This happens to us all the time." She explained.

"Tell me who you are!" the man asked persistently.

"Since that information's keeping us alive, I'm hardly going to say, am I?" the Doctor scoffed.

"Well, perhaps my editor in chief can convince you otherwise." The man said evilly, a malicious glint in his eyes.

"And who's that?" the Doctor asked curiously.

"Doctor, shouldn't we be trying to escape?" Chase asked but the Doctor shushed him. The creepy man strode over to them confidently.

"It may interest you to know that this is _not_ the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire."

"Yeah, we guessed that." Amy hissed. The man smirked at her.

"In fact, it's not actually human at all. It's merely a place where humans happen to live."

A garbled growl echoed around the room and Amy looked around frantically. She couldn't see anything but the man's comment worried her that the Silence was around.

"Yeah- sorry." The man appeared to be having a conversation with the thing that was growling. "It's a place where humans are _allowed_ to live by kind permission of my client."

Amy realised then that it wasn't the Silence. They would never work with someone like this weirdo. He snapped his finger and pointed upwards. Amy looked up and she gasped.

"What the hell?" Chase yelled.

Gnawing at them from the ceiling was a gigantic blob with rows and rows of sharp teeth. There was no mouth or eyes, just a snapping mouth with sharp teeth. Amy gasped as a pain shot up her forehead.

She closed her eyes and her mind was filled with images of a strange entity with hollow eyes and a mouth. It was covered in a black robe and appeared to be talking to someone. When she turned around, her eyes snapped open and she saw the man grinning at a horrified Doctor.

"Mankind has been shaped and guided. His knowledge and ambition strictly controlled by its broadcast news. Edited by my superior- your master- and humanity's guiding light- the mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxadfenfoe." He leaned in with a salacious grin. "I call him Max."

Amy smiled with false cheeriness. "Good for you!"


	25. The Best

_The Best_

* * *

They were quickly locked up by the zombies in large cuffs. Their hands were quickly locked into them and they were forced to stand because they were connected to a mess of tubes. Amy wriggled her hands around but couldn't find any weaknesses. Giving up, she followed the Doctor's example and glared at the creepy man.

"If we create a climate of fear, then it's easy to keep the borders closed. It's just a matter of emphasis. The right word in the right broadcast repeated often enough can destabilize an economy, invent an enemy…change a vote…"

"So, all the people on Earth are like slaves?" Rose asked rhetorically.

"That's sick!" Chase hissed.

"Well, now, those are interesting points." The man grinned and Amy felt the urge to kick him. "Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?"

"Yes!" the Doctor and Amy yelled simultaneously. The man visibly sagged in disappointment.

"I was hoping for a philosophical debate. Is that all I'm going to get? 'Yes'?"

"Yes." The Doctor repeated.

"I'd knock you out too, but I'm a little tied up." Amy said conversationally, showing him her manacled arms.

"Aren't you just full of fire?" the man preened and Amy glowered at him.

"Come anywhere near me and I'll burn you." She threatened. The man howled with laughter.

"She's strong too!" he grinned flirtatiously at her. "Not to mention gorgeous."

"I'm married." Amy smiled thinly at him. "Back off."

"You're not fun." The man pouted and Amy rolled her eyes. "Neither are you, Doctor."

"Let me out of these manacles. You'll find out how much fun I am."

"Oh, he's tough isn't he?" the man didn't sound very impressed. "Come on, isn't it a great system? You've got to admire it, just a little bit."

"It's hard to admire something so sick." Chase growled. The man barely glanced at him.

"You can't hide something on this scale on this scale," Rose argued. "Somebody must've noticed!"

"From time to time, someone, yes." The man huffed. "But the computer system allows me to see inside their brain. I can see the smallest doubt…and crush it." He balled his hand into a fist for emphasis. Amy glared at him but couldn't help the shiver of fear that wormed its way into her stomach.

"And they just carry on, living their life. Strutting about downstairs and all over the surface of the Earth like they're _so_ individual when of course, they're not." Amy was starting to grow tired of the man's spiel. "They're just cattle. In that respect, the Jagrafess hasn't changed a thing."

"You're human." Amy pointed out. "That makes you cattle as well."

"Simply being _human_ doesn't pay very well." The man sneered.

"You're doing all this for money?" Chase asked incredulously.

"You'd be surprised by how many people actually do." Amy rolled her eyes.

"But you couldn't have done this all on your own." Rose protested.

"No! I represent a consortium of banks. They prefer a long-term investment. Also, the Jagrafess needed a little hand to um… _install himself_."

"No wonder, a creature that size, what's its life span?" the Doctor asked curiously.

"Three thousand years."

"What happens when those three thousand years runs out?" Amy asked. "What happens to the human race?"

The man chuckled and shrugged. "Not my problem."

"That's one hell of a metabolism generating all that heat." The Doctor hummed. "That's why Satellite Five's so hot. You pump it out of the creature, channel it downstairs, Jagrafess stays cool, stays alive. Satellite Five's one great big life support system."

"Yes, yes." Frosty snapped impatiently. "But that's why you're so dangerous. Knowledge is power but you remain unknown."

Amy cried out when electricity shot out of the manacles and coursed through her body. Her limbs convulsed, her muscles cramped and the sharp pain of an oncoming premonition hit her. Closing her eyes, she found herself in a large room of some kind. She looked up and almost jumped out of her skin when a man was staring at her sadistically. The indecipherable whispering grew louder.

Her eyes snapped open and she found herself back on Floor 500.

"Leave them alone!" the Doctor cried out frantically. "I'm the Doctor, that's Rose Tyler, Amy Pond and Chase Jackson. We're nothing, we're just wandering."

"Tell me who you are!" Frosty insisted.

"Are you deaf or something?" Amy growled. "He just did! We're nobody of importance!"

"Yes, but who do you work for? Who sent you? Who knows about us? Who exactly-" Frosty froze, staring at the ceiling. Amy shared a nervous glance with the Doctor.

"What are you doing?" Chase asked.

"What _is_ he doing?" Rose asked.

"I don't know." The Doctor admitted.

Frosty looked at them with a cruel smile. "Time Lord."

Amy froze. A confused Chase glanced at her nervously.

"What?" The Doctor squawked. Amy's mind whirled. He couldn't have possibly got the information. They didn't have chips in their heads.

Frosty grinned. "Oh yes! The last of the Time Lords in his travelling machine. Oh, with his little human friends from so long ago." He stroked Amy's cheek. Amy tore her head away and he grinned salaciously at her.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" The Doctor hissed.

"Time travel." Frosty gasped, mystified.

"Someone's been telling you lies!" The Doctor growled in an attempt to regain the situation.

"Young master Adam Mitchell?" Frosty snapped his fingers and a holographic projection appeared.

"What the hell!" Chase exclaimed.

"Oh my god, his head!" Rose gasped.

"What the hell's he done? What the hell's he gone and done? They're reading his mind. He's telling them everything." The Doctor yelped.

"He's gone and got a brain door!" Amy gasped but then she paused. "Hang on, we never told him about the Doctor being the last of the Time Lords…so how does he know?" she noticed Rose fidgeting awkwardly in the corner. "Rose, why?"

"It's doesn't matter!" Frosty grinned. "Through him, I know everything about you. Every piece of information in his head is now mine. And you have infinite knowledge Doctor. The Human Empire is tiny compared to what you've seen in your T-A-R-D-I-S, TARDIS."

"You'll never get your hands on it, I'll die first!" The Doctor swore, the vitriol dripping from his voice.

Frosty shrugged. "Die all you like, I don't need you. _I've got the key._ "

"Rose…" Amy said warningly. Rose flinched. They watched in horror as the key from Adam's pocket was pulled out and held above him in suspended animation.

"You and your boyfriends!" The Doctor sighed with disappointment.

"Today, _we_ are the headlines. We can rewrite history. We could prevent mankind from ever developing!"

"But that mean you'll have never existed!" Chase protested. Frosty just winked at him.

"And no one's going to stop you!" The Doctor yelled. "Because you've bred a human race that doesn't bother to ask questions. Stupid little slaves believing every lie. They'll just trot right into the slaughterhouse if they're told it's made of gold."

Amy frowned at his words. Looking at him, she noticed he wasn't even looking at Frosty. Following his gaze, her eyes travelled down and her breath hitched. Cathica was looking back at them. Her face steeled and she walked off determinedly.

"And now, I think you've lived long enough." Frosty said malevolently.

Before he could do anything, an alarm started blaring and Amy cheered internally.

"What's happening?" Frosty demanded, stalking over to a zombie. "Someone's disengaged the safety." He muttered.

"And that's bad, is it?" Chase grinned. On the projection, the information stopped flowing into Adam's head and the TADIS key dropped to the ground.

Frosty snapped his fingers and a new image replaced Adam. "Who's that?!"

"It's Cathica!" Rose grinned. The cornrow girl was in the brain room they had passed earlier. She was seated in the chair and a stream of information flowed into her head.

"And she's thinking," The Doctor said proudly. "She's using what she knows!"

Frosty grew impatient and turned to zombie Suki. "Terminate her access!"

"Everything I told her about Satellite Five- the pipes, the filters, she's reversing it! Look at that…"

"Plumbing is very important." Amy quoted with a grin. Frosty grew desperate and tried to burn out Cathica's mind, but the screens started to spark and the zombies slumped over. Amy let out a triumphant cry when her manacles snapped open.

All around them, the ice and icicles started to melt as the room was flooded with heat. The Jagrafess snarled and squirmed above them.

"Yes, um…I'm trying sir but- I don't know how she did it. It's impossible! A member of staff with an idea-" the Jagrafess roared and Amy reached into the coat pocket and pulled out the sonic screwdriver. She fiddled around with it and glared at him.

"When we get out of this, you are working on a bloody psychic interface!" Amy hissed. She finally found the right setting and zapped Rose's manacles open. When she finished with hers, she turned to Chase and the Doctor's and unlocked them.

"We really should get out of here." Chase warned.

"Good point!" The Doctor said cheerily. "Oi mate! Wanna bank on a certainty? Massive heat in a massive body, massive bang!"

The lump of flesh fell of the Jagrafess and it roared in pain. Amy grabbed the Doctor's arm and dragged him with her.

"See you in the headlines!"

"Not the time for cheesy one liners." Amy hissed. "We have to get Cathica!"

The Doctor nodded and led the way to the Brain Room. When they arrived, information was still streaming through Cathica's head. The Doctor snapped his fingers and the door closed with a snap. The woman looked at them with a smile. The Doctor smiled proudly.

* * *

After the whole ordeal, Amy was sitting in the canteen, sipping a beef Slush Puppie. The Doctor was advising Cathica about the things she needed to do to restore humanity to its height while Rose and Chase were quietly talking about the day's events.

People were helping each other stand and pick things up. The explosion had apparently affected all of Satellite Five and not just floor 500.

"You'll have to stay to explain it." Cathica said worriedly. "No one's going to believe me!"

"Oh, they might start believing a lot of things a lot of things now. The human race should accelerate. All back to normal." The Doctor explained.

"You'll be fine." Amy reassured with a smile. The woman smiled back.

"What about your friend?" Cathica asked, eyeing Adam who was standing by the TARDIS nervously.

The Doctor's eyes darkened. "He's not my friend." He stood up and stalked towards Adam. Rose jumped up and followed him awkwardly. Amy and Chase shared a nervous glance before following them. They arrived just in time to see the Doctor forcefully shove Adam into the TARDIS.

* * *

The Doctor quickly and wordlessly landed the TARDIS and dragged Adam outside. The rest quickly clambered out.

"It's my house! I'm home! Oh my god, I'm home!" Adam laughed with relief. He turned around and took a visible step back when he saw the Doctor's stormy expression. "Blimey! I thought you were gonna chuck me out of an airlock."

"It was three against one." Amy said casually as she inspected her fingernails. She smirked when Adam's eyes bugged out.

"Is there something else you wanted to tell me?" the Doctor asked Adam. The boy started fidgeting nervously.

"No. Um…what do you mean?" Amy rolled her eyes. He was worse at lying than she was.

The Doctor walked over to the telephone and picked it up. "The archive of Satellite Five, one second of that message could've changed the world."

Amy narrowed her eyes and the boy flushed. The Doctor pulled out the sonic and pointed it at the telephone. The phone sparked and Adam visibly flinched.

"That's it then." The Doctor said cheerfully. "See ya!"

"How do you mean, 'see ya'?" Adam turned to them before they could step into the TARDIS.

"As in 'goodbye,'" The Doctor clarified with a dark smile.

"You didn't really think you were going to be allowed to come back, did you?" Amy looked at the boy incredulously. Adam gave them his best goldfish impression.

"You can't just go. I've got it in my head- I've got a chip type two. My head opens!"

"What like this?" The Doctor asked cheekily before snapping his fingers. Adam's head opened.

"Don't!" he glared before clicking his fingers.

Chase hesitantly clicked his fingers and grinned when Adam's head opened again.

"Stop it!" he huffed and snapped his fingers again. Amy smirked.

"Stop what?" she snapped her fingers and the boy's head opened up for the third time.

"Stop!" Adam cried out indignantly, snapping his fingers again.

"Alright!" Rose moved in front of the two parties. "That's enough you three. Stop it." The three backed away reluctantly.

"Thank you." Adam sighed. Rose looked at him silently and then snapped her fingers.

"Oi!" Adam snapped exasperatedly and Rose giggled.

"Sorry, couldn't resist." Amy laughed along with the girl as Adam closed his head again.

"The whole of history could've changed because of you." The Doctor said angrily.

"I just wanted to help!" Adam protested. Amy smirk turned into a sad smile when she remembered who Adam was. The memory was hazy but she remembered the bitter old man who had kidnapped the Doctor's companion in an act of revenge against him. She hated the way the cracks messed with her memories sometimes. They would withhold information from her until the very last moment and there would be nothing she could do about it.

"I'm sorry!" Adam cried out at something the Doctor said. "I've said I'm sorry, and I am. I really am but you can't just leave me like this!"

"Yes I can. 'Cos if you ever show your head to anyone, they'll dissect you in seconds. You'll have to live a very quiet life. Keep out of trouble, be average. Unseen. Good luck." With that, the Doctor opened the TARDIS door.

"But I wanna come with you!" Adam protested.

"I only take the best." The Doctor told him. "I've got these three." With that, he walked into the TARDIS. Amy grinned and followed him inside, closely followed by Chase. The Time Lord turned to the teenage boy with a raised eyebrow.

"That is, if you want to stay."

"Do you want me to go?" Chase asked nervously, glancing at Amy worriedly. Amy smiled at him while Rose quickly walked in and placed a comforting hand on Chase's arm. The Doctor scoffed.

"Of course not. We all want you to stay! The question is, do you?"

Chase smiled boyishly. "I'd like to stay, if that's okay."

The Doctor nodded curtly but Amy could see his smile as he started the dematerialisation process. When it was complete, he turned to Chase with a grin.

"Well then, Chase Jackson, welcome aboard the TARDIS."

"It's going to be great having someone my age to talk to." Rose sighed. "I mean, these two are great, but they're both really old."

"Oi!" The Doctor and Amy cried out simultaneously. Rose poked her tongue between her teeth and Chase smiled sheepishly. Amy's frown broke into a smile. It seemed Rose and Chase had become fast friends in the short period of time they spent together.

"I won't have any of that," the Doctor said warningly, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Go on Rose, give him the grand tour. You're good at that."

Rose playfully rolled her eyes and led Chase through the door. Amy gave the Doctor a knowing look before walking away.

* * *

Amy was sitting in the library working on her book when Rose walked in. Amy dropped her pen and smiled at her.

"Hey." Rose greeted with a smile, dropping down next to her and pulling a cushion to her chest. "The TARDIS seems to have taken a liking to Chase."

Amy patted the table fondly. "Aw, you just love us strays, don't you?"

The TARDIS gurgled in response and Amy chuckled. She turned her attention back to the blonde teenager.

"So what can I do for you, Rose?"

"Do you reckon the Doctor's mad with me?" Rose asked nervously. "You know, for suggesting we bring Adam and all."

"No, he's not mad at you." Amy smiled. "The only one he's mad at is Adam, I promise."

Rose smiled childishly extending her pinky. "Pinky promise?"

Amy laughed but conceded to Rose's game. "Pinky promise." She said, entwining her pinky with hers. Rose smiled but it soon morphed into a yawn.

"Right, I am knackered." She sighed. "Today's been one hell of a day. See you later!"

Amy waved at her before returning to her work. When she felt the couch sag she sighed.

"I told you I'd let you see when I was _finished,_ Doctor."

"Not even one sneak peek?" the Doctor asked. Amy shook her head vehemently. "Ok, fine, I'll wait. Humans, you're so obnoxious."

Amy scoffed. "You can talk." She turned to look at him and smiled softly. "I should start a business."

"What business?" he asked.

"Getting paid for everybody who comes to ask me for advice or to answer a question."

"What makes you think I've come for advice or for an answered question?"

"I know you." Amy said sincerely. "I know the way you think, the way you operate. It took me a while to get to grips with this regeneration but I think I've got it down."

The Doctor nodded but didn't push the subject. "Do you think Rose is mad at me for banishing Adam?"

Amy let out a loud, short laugh. The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing." She waved it off, bringing her laughter under control. "No, she's not mad at you. She's mad at Adam for what he did and I think she's happy you brought Chase on board. I am too."

"The boy's your own companion." The Doctor mused.

Amy pulled a face. "He's not my companion!"

"Yes, he is."

Amy paused.

"Nah, he isn't. I prefer the term 'friend'." She turned to the Doctor. "Can I ask for a favour, Doctor?"

* * *

Adam clutched his mother's hand tightly. Her condition was getting worse and the doctors didn't know if they could save her. A lone tear escaped from his eye. He had wanted to help his mother, to cure her of her illness, but the Doctor destroyed his plans.

It wasn't fair. If he had the ability to time travel, why didn't he let him explain himself so he could get medicine for his mother?

"Adam, honey, don't cry." His mother commanded him weakly. Adam wiped his eyes and smiled at her, squeezing her hand.

A familiar wheezing noise filled the air and Adam held his breath. Turning around, he watched as the TARDIS materialised in his mother's bedroom. The Doctor stepped out without sparing him a glance. Amy walked out and gave him a bittersweet smile.

"Who are you?" his mother asked with the hints of fear in her voice.

"I'm the Doctor." He replied curtly, pulling up a chair and sitting next to her. "I'm sorry for what you're going through, I really am, but there's nothing I can do."

"Why not?" Adam roared, jumping out of his chair. Tears leaked out of his eyes as he glared at the Doctor. "Why can't you cure her?"

The Doctor didn't say anything. He just gave him a long, hard look that silenced him. It was then that he spoke.

"History records that your mother dies at this time. It's a fixed point, I'm sorry, but there's no way I can cure her." He explained.

"I don't understand." Adam stuttered.

"You don't have to." The Doctor replied. "Just know that I can't cure your mother without damaging time and space and I'm not going to do that even for _Rose_ , let alone you!"

"Then why are you here?" Adam squeaked. The Doctor smiled a small, genuine smile.

"Because I'm not letting you go through this alone."

A few silent seconds passed. Adam nodded slowly. He and the Doctor were far from friends and he knew that he would never be able to step onto the magnificent TARDIS again but at least they had come to an understanding.

"How did you know?" Adam asked. The Doctor gestured over to the silent ginger. She waved clownishly.

"Okay…how did _you_ know?"

"Spoilers." The woman smiled enigmatically at him. Adam shrugged, taking his mother's weak hand in his. The room was silent as they watched Mrs Mitchell take her last few breaths. Adam stayed by her side even when the sound of the universe echoed around the room. He didn't look back.

Maybe the Doctor wasn't so evil after all.

* * *

"Thank you." Amy said to the Doctor. He smiled at her.

"Well, I owe you for how I treated you." He said, avoiding her gaze. Amy smirked.

"You better believe it!"

"Why'd you ask me? To help his mother, I mean." He asked when Amy turned around to leave for her bedroom. Amy turned around and gave him a smile.

"I wanted to avoid you getting your heart broken eleven times." She said before walking away.

The Doctor watched her go with a fond smile. "Amy Pond, you are absolutely fantastic." He said softly under his breath. He turned towards the monitor. It was time to start searching for her lost husband again.

* * *

 **A/N:** Posted early because I'm out of town! A few things to talk about:

This is the last of the pre-written chapters. I've finished a chapter of _Father's Day_ and working on another _Meanwhile in the TARDIS_.

Thank you guys for responding to Chase! It makes me happy you like my OC!

The events Amy is remembering is the comic strip _Prisoners of Time_ which featured Adam's death. That was pretty much rewritten now that Amy and the Doctor helped Adam get over his animosity enough to not take the Master's offer. The talk of cracks is just my personal opinion that the cracks messed around with Amy's memories at a bigger scale. She may remember things, but they can easily take away or withhold things from her temporarily.

 _Alone in Uncharted Territory_ has 50+ follows! Thank you all, seriously. I've created a new cover image as a form of thanks. I hope you all stick around!


	26. Consequences

_Consequences_

* * *

" _Crazy" is, I believe, the medical term when we wanna recover but we don't wanna learn. Keep breaking what's been fixed a thousand times."_

* * *

Amy and Chase looked at each other nervously as they listened to the conversation the Doctor and Rose were having on the other side of the console room.

"So I was thinking…could we? Could we go and see my dad when he was still alive?" Rose asked him quietly.

Amy frowned. The four of them had been travelling for months now. She didn't understand why Rose was asking so suddenly. She had known her father was dead for a long time now, having learned from Gwyneth all the way back in 1869.

It could be potentially awkward for Rose. For Amy, she had smothered them with affection when the Doctor had rebooted the timeline, but she still remembered the memories of living a life without them, a life with no camping in the highlands or visiting Barry Island. Another part of Amy was angry because they hadn't found Rory yet. Amy had tried calling his phone several times but it never worked. She was hoping to start up the search again now that Chase was fully immersed in their lifestyle.

"Your wish is my command, but be careful what you wish for." The Doctor told her with a smile. Amy smiled softly. Of course the Doctor would agree to whatever Rose wanted. She was his first friend after the Time War and their relationship was growing every passing day. They weren't at the stage where they properly _loved_ each other yet, but they were close.

"Aren't they going to notice us?" Chase asked nervously as they sat at the back pew of the Church. "We're gate-crashing a wedding!"

Amy held up the psychic paper. "If they see us, I've got it covered."

"Oi! Where'd you get that from?" the Doctor looked at her in horror.

"Nicked it off you when we left the TARDIS." Amy explained. She wasn't River's mother for nothing. The three turned back to the wedding and watched as the registrar turned to Rose's father. The wedding was small compared to Amy's own.

"I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Suzanne…Suzette…Anita…" he stumbled over the names and Jackie shot him a venomous look. Amy found it painful to watch but couldn't help the small fondness for the man. He reminded her of Rory and his stupid face.

"Oh, just carry on!" Jackie snapped. "It's good enough for Lady Di."

The Doctor snickered and Amy elbowed him in the ribs.

"I thought he'd be taller." Rose muttered, staring at her father adoringly.

"…To be my lawful wedded wife, to love and behold 'til death do us part."

Amy smiled sadly at the choice of words.

* * *

"I don't understand how this is a terrible idea!" Chase protested as soon as the Doctor and Rose were out of the TARDIS.

Amy looked at the boy incredulously. "Chase, she's gone back in time to watch her father die and you're telling me it's not a good idea?"

"Maybe she could get closure from this!" he suggested as they climbed down the ramp. Amy gave a non-committal shrug as they walked outside and joined their two time travelling companions. It was November the 7th, 1987, the day Peter Alan Tyler died.

"The past is a different country." The Doctor mused. "1987's just the Isle of Wight…are you sure about this?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah." Then she turned to Amy. "Are you okay Amy? You look a bit pale…"

"I'm fine." Amy replied. It wasn't a complete lie. Amy had a splitting headache but she felt fine otherwise.

Rose nodded and they all turned their attention back to the curb. Everybody was watching nervously. Rose was wringing her hands and Chase was rubbing the back of his head, something Amy learned was a nervous tick during their travels.

"This is it." Rose spoke softly. "Jordan Road. He was late. He'd been to get a wedding present, a vase. Mum always said 'that stupid vase.'" Rose chuckled, though her voice cracked and it sounded like she was forcing tears back.

"Strange…" Chase said. "I thought I saw...nah, just imagining it."

They all watched as the car rounded the corner and parked. Rose continued her narration of the events that would unfold, but Amy's headache was worsening. She clasped a hand to her forehead and could see…a face?

A crash made Amy jump. Opening her eyes, she saw the vase go flying while Rose's father lay twitching on the ground. Her headache had disappeared miraculously. Rose was breathing heavily and the Doctor was urging her to go see her father but instead of listening to him, Rose turned the other way and ran away crying.

* * *

"Can I try again?"

Amy whipped her head towards the Doctor. Chase had an arm wrapped around Rose and the Doctor was looking down at her with a burning intensity in his eyes. Finally, he accepted and they were hiding behind a wall watching their previous selves ten minutes later.

"This is a bad idea." Amy hissed.

"You sound like Cathica." Chase said offhandedly.

"Right, that's the first batch of us. Amy's right, it's a very bad idea, two sets of us being here at the same time. Just be careful they don't see us-" the Doctor pulled them all behind the wall. Amy was about to protest when he placed a finger on his lips and shushed her.

"Strange…" The first Chase muttered. "I thought I saw…nah, just imagining it."

Amy released a breath of relief. They all peered around the wall again to see the car pull up on the curb. A splitting headache erupted as soon as the man stepped out of his car. Amy's breathing became ragged and time seemed to slow down. Cackles of laughter filled her head.

Then time sped up again and Rose was running towards her father before anyone could stop her. That was when she realised her nose was bleeding profusely and Chase had his arms wrapped around her to keep her steady. The Doctor quickly pulled out a tissue and Amy wiped away the smears of blood.

"Are you okay?" the Doctor asked.

"I'm fine. I think…" Amy muttered as she stood up. She swayed a bit but with Chase's support, she managed to stand upright.

"Amy, you were screaming." Chase said worriedly. Amy furrowed her brows.

"No, I wasn't." She retaliated. Their looks made her less confident in her answer. "Was I?"

The Doctor didn't reply. Amy followed his line of vision and noticed he was glaring stormily at Rose who was currently standing next to a living Pete Tyler. Amy groaned. This was going to be a very long day.

* * *

They all piled into Rose's apartment. Chase helped Amy to the sofa while the Doctor and Rose listened to something Pete was saying.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Peachy." Amy replied looking at Pete nervously. Her nosebleed had stopped but she still had a pounding headache.

"I don't get how we did a bad thing though." Chase whispered to her. Amy looked back at him and noticed his worried eyes. "How could saving Rose's dad be such a bad thing?"

Amy opened her mouth to reply but the Doctor and Rose slowly made their way over to them. "I'll explain later."

"All the stuff my mum kept." Rose beamed as she looked around the room. "His stuff. She kept it all packed away in boxes in the cupboard. She used to show me when she had a bit of a drink."

She giggled happily and began to list things off that were scatted haphazardly around the room. Amy tried to tune in on the conversation but her head was pounding and her throat was so parched she felt as if she hadn't drunk anything for a long time.

"When we met," she heard the Doctor say. "I said 'travel with me in space.' You said no. Then I said 'time machine'…"

Amy heard Rose object but she was too tired to tune in. A soft dystopian melody filled her head that lulled her to fall asleep. She had no idea why the thought unnerved her.

* * *

When Amy opened her eyes, she had no idea where she was. The entire area was dark and empty, like a blank canvas waiting to be painted on. She tried to turn, but she only found herself looking back at the same place, or maybe she wasn't. It was hard to tell.

"Hey."

Amy jumped and spun around. Sneering at her was the same man who seemed to stalk her during Rose's time. He was still dressed in his splattered black hoodie and jeans but he was noticeably without a mask. His eyes were a menacing shade of light green and his neatly combed long black hair was windswept. His smile revealed sharp white teeth and Amy couldn't help but compare him to a werewolf.

She tried to take a step backwards but found herself taking a step forward instead. The man's grin widened and a shiver of fear ran up Amy's spine. She gulped and drew up the courage to speak.

"Who are you?" she asked, thankful her voice didn't squeak with the fear that was burrowing in the pit of her stomach. The man simply grinned at her again but she noticed the way his eyes darkened menacingly.

"It doesn't matter." He said simply, strutting over to her. Amy tried to move away but found her feet were planted firmly on the shifting ground. This wasn't fear that was keeping her back. The man was physically _holding_ her in place. "Where's the fun in knowing how I am?"

"Well if you're not going to tell me, mind letting me go?" she asked sarcastically, gesturing to her feet wildly. The man laughed and Amy shivered at the dark undertone.

"Oh Amelia, you are a fighter, aren't you?" he mused, picking up a strand of her hair. Amy pulled her head away and glared at him.

"Let me go." She ordered, fear and paranoia replaced by a bubbling anger. The man's grin faltered slightly.

"No." He said sharply, raising his hand and tapping her forehead. Amy gasped as pain shot through her forehead. She closed her eyes quickly and images started flashing rapidly before her.

She saw the Doctor- her Doctor, with his floppy brown hair and outrageous chin- and then she saw her current Doctor before she saw the familiar face she had only seen a handful of times, the first when the Atraxi projected his face as the last before her Doctor scared them off.

The images were replaced by others, of her and Rory and Mels, followed by the three of them with the Doctor and then on their family outing to Akhaten. Their laughter filled Amy's head and it soothed her slightly.

Then Amy's head was filled with that same crimson glow she had seen while running away from the Slitheen in Downing Street and then a confident looking woman in a leather jacket with growing children by her side, constantly shifting and moving on. She then saw images of her with the current Doctor and Rose in the Time Vortex, travelling to the far corners of Earth. Then all the images played all over again and Amy noticed the ominous man watching her from a dark corner, unnoticed.

Amy suddenly felt dizzy and she felt as if she fell hard onto the ground, but she was still standing. The man- she was going to designate him 'psycho'- was smiling at her. He opened his mouth and said something. They were the words Amy woke up to.

" _I will use this fixed point to escape this twisted hell and you, Amelia Pond, will be screaming in agony every bloody second. I hope you enjoyed my little snippets of life. They're the last things you're ever going to see."_

* * *

Amy woke up with a gasp. Her head was spinning and her vision was blurry. When she could open her eyes properly, she found herself being supported by the Doctor and Chase and that they were walking towards the door. Rose was behind them, screaming at the Doctor about something.

"I know how sad you are. You'll be back in a minute, or you'll hang around outside the TARDIS waiting for me."

The Doctor gave Rose one more steely gaze before he pulled Amy out the door and supported her when she wobbled slightly. Chase quickly came to her other side and supported her as well.

"And I'll make you wait a long time!" she yelled. She was about to slam the door when her eyes connected with Amy's and her expression softened. "Get well soon, yeah?"

Amy nodded and Rose promptly slammed the door in the Doctor's face. The Doctor stared at the door for a few seconds before facing her again.

"Wanna explain what the hell's going on with you?" he asked.

* * *

Amy explained everything as they walked slowly back to the TARDIS. The Doctor was listening attentively, growing increasingly agitated throughout the whole story. She could feel Chase's eyes burrowing into her worriedly. When she finished, the Doctor watched her with knitted eyebrows.

"Okay, so I haven't read 'The Flash' in a while, but I've no idea what a fixed point is." Chase confessed and Amy whipped her head towards him.

"That's not out yet!"

"I'm from 2012, remember?" Chase retorted.

"Besides, the comics are already out." The Doctor added before he turned to her. "How long did you say he was watching you?"

"Since the Auton incident." Amy repeated. The Doctor glared at her.

"Well, why didn't you tell me?"

Amy scoffed. "I tried to, but you kept running off when I tried!"

"But what about the incident with the Quevvils?" Chase asked. "You never said anything then."

"Well, I couldn't exactly leave a practically comatose Rose to come find you too, could I?" Amy hissed and Chase looked down sheepishly. Amy turned to the Time Lord. "Well, who is he?"

"I've no idea." The Doctor said but Amy could see the nervous glint in his eyes, looking away worriedly and focusing on the sky. She glared at him.

"No. Don't do this to me. Tell me what you know right now or so help me…"

"Guys!" Chase yelled urgently, cutting her off. He was staring at something in the TARDIS. Quickly hurrying over to the boy, they looked inside the TARDIS and Amy's eyes widened. Tentatively raising a hand inside, a horrible confirmation washed over her.

The Doctor scrambled around the wooden box that was the TARDIS for a few seconds. His eyes glinted with fear.

"Rose!"

He ran off without waiting for them to catch up. Chase quickly pulled Amy's arm around his shoulder and supported her as they quickly ran after the Doctor. Amy had the horrible feeling that Pete was the source of the manifestation.

Amy was surprised when they didn't run back to the flat, going in a new direction altogether. Pain suddenly shot up Amy's forehead and psycho's face stared directly at her for a second. It was enough time to catch Amy off guard. She stumbled and crashed onto the pavement.

"Doctor!" Chase cried out. Amy heard the man's thudding footsteps as he ran back to her and scooped her frail body into his arms. Amy massaged her temples vigorously, trying to remove the pain.

They were moving again and Amy could hear the distinct sound of chatting. The Doctor continued running, Chase not far behind.

"Rose!" The Doctor cried out. "Get in the church!"

"What the hell!" Chase exclaimed suddenly.

Rose's scream pierced the air and Amy's head flared again. Snapping her eyes shut, she could vividly see images of Rose running after her in a corridor, her screams haunting the vision throughout.

Her eyes flew open when she abruptly hit the pavement. Chase scrambled to her side and pulled her arm over his shoulders again. The area was in chaos. A horrible screeching echoed around them and people were screaming. Rose was by her side and she too supported her as they all clambered into the aforementioned church.

"Amy? Amy, are you okay?" Rose asked quickly as Amy collapsed on the floor. Her headache was pulsing and she felt like she was about to throw up. The Doctor quickly stuffed a tissue into her hands before dragging Chase away to help him with something.

A drop of blood that made its way onto the tissue prompted Amy to quickly wipe her nose clean. When she finished, she stuffed the tissue into her pocket and looked up at Rose with a wry smile.

"I'm sorry." The blonde said with emotion thick in her tone. "The Doctor didn't say it, but he practically admitted this was my fault."

Amy frowned. "When?"

"Just now…" Rose said, looking at her with concern. "Don't you remember?"

"No…" Amy said. Fear and paranoia started to bubble in her. Was the psycho messing around with her memory?

Rose looked down again and Amy decided to comfort the shop girl first.

"You do know the Doctor was never going to leave you right?" Amy asked with a small smile. Rose smiled at her tearfully.

"I know." She whispered.

"I wouldn't have let him," Amy scowled. "Not in a thousand years. I don't think Chase would leave you behind either. Who else would help him during those annoying water fights when you gang up on me and the Doctor?"

Rose laughed and smiled, a few tears escaping her eyes. Amy smiled and wrapped her arms around the girl. The two sat there hugging.

* * *

Plot development! And yes, Rose and Chase have water fights and often use the Doctor and Amy as target practise in their spare time. The self proclaimed Quevvil incident is part of the events of the New Series Adventures book _Winner Takes All_.

Huzzah for Amy and Rose friendship development! I feel lately it's just been The Doctor and Amy development or Amy and Chase development, so here's more for the sisters!

As for the _Face the Raven_ TV trailer...I'm not ready. As for _Sleep No More_...Mark Gatiss, I'm sure you're a wonderful guy, but I just don't connect with your stories. Sorry.

Also, my new cover image I made for you guys keeps disappearing. Why is that?

I've posted today so I don't have to tomorrow morning cause I'll be busy with school work. Great.

Also, some official confirmations for this story. Yes, it's going to be a quadrilogy, I know where my story arcs are going, Chase's role is going to increase over time, the two original stories in this segment of the stories are titled _The Forbidden Forest/The Great Escape_ and the sequel of this story has been officially titled _Stalked By Doomsday!_

That's all for now. See you guys for the second half of Father's Day!


	27. Impulse & Until we meet again

_Impulse_

* * *

 _Don't you dare look out your window, darling. Everything's on fire._

* * *

"But I don't understand!" Jackie hollered.

Amy groaned, sinking further into her chair. Her head was pounding and she was forced to listen to a ranting Jackie while Rose went off to talk with her dad and the Doctor and Chase wandered around.

"You never do." She muttered bitterly. "The more things chance, the more they stay the same."

Jackie looked affronted.

"What does that even mean? I haven't even met you!" she yelled and Amy rubbed her head. Jackie was really annoying her. She took a deep breath and looked away from the seething woman, hoping she would go away and tend to her infant daughter.

She didn't. Jackie continued babbling away in her ear and Amy finally had enough.

"Look, just leave me alone and go look after your own baby, will you?!" she snapped. Jackie gasped but walked away obediently, shooting her disdainful glares. Amy sighed and sunk back in her seat, listening to the rhythmic beating in her head. Four thuds, in dystopian succession. The beat was always four times. Amy frowned. It sounded familiar…

"That was kind of rude." Amy jumped at Chase's voice. The boy laughed as he sat down in the vacant seat next to her. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"No, it's fine." Amy waved it off. "I was just thinking about something."

The Reapers- as the Doctor had called them- screeched outside and clawed at the windows. Amy watched them with glazed eyes. The few people that were in the Church all huddled together and spoke in hushed whispers. Amy sat at the back of the small monastery to avoid them.

"How's your head?" Chase asked at last. Amy smiled weakly at him.

"Hurts like hell." She sighed and Chase laughed softly.

"I can't imagine." He sighed. They both drifted into comfortable silence for a few minutes, the only sound being the Reapers screeches and the pounding in Amy's head. Chase opened his mouth to say something but a small boy launched himself at a surprised Amy.

"Oh…um…" she looked at Chase for help but he looked at confused as her. She looked down at the boy awkwardly. "Hey kid, you mind letting me go?"

"For god's sake, Mickey!" Jackie sighed impatiently, grabbing the kid and grabbing him away from Amy, who was too busy gaping at the little boy. "First the blonde and now these two! The end of the world and you're too busy making friends with complete weirdos."

Chase opened his mouth to interject but Amy quickly hushed him. It hurt that Jackie, who usually showed Amy respect and friendship, was talking to her so harshly but she couldn't blame her. This was a Jackie who hadn't met any of them yet.

That also meant that she hadn't slapped them yet. Except Chase, she was fond of Chase ever since they met during the Quevvil incident. Jackie shot them one last dirty look before walking off with the child Mickey.

"She doesn't even recognise us." Chase said sadly.

"Well, she wouldn't. This is Jackie before she met us." Amy reminded him softly. Chase nodded.

"Yeah, you're right. It's just really weird, that's all." He looked at her. "How do you guys handle it?"

"Experience, that's all." She replied humbly. Chase quickly revealed a tissue from his pocket and wiped her nose. She thanked him quickly.

"Can't you tell?" he asked curiously. She sighed and shook her head.

"No, I can't." She answered truthfully. Chase nodded and didn't pry. Amy's eyes drifted towards the window and she stood up abruptly. Chase looked at her curiously. She walked towards the window, the boy close behind her. Her eyes followed the battered car that rounded the corner and disappeared immediately.

It was the exact same car that was meant to hit Pete. Amy sighed and looked away from the window. Chase looked at her sadly. She nodded to confirm his unspoken question.

"We can't tell her." She voiced. The boy simply nodded.

* * *

Amy and Chase walked over to the choir stalls where the Doctor was gently rocking a carrycot. The Doctor looked up at them and grinned. They both bent over and looked at the infant child staring back with childish wonder.

"Now Rose, meet Amy and Chase. They're absolutely bonkers but very important to your future. Be careful around Amy though, she's got some self-proclaimed 'sword skills!'" he said cheekily and Amy slapped his arm fondly.

"Time travel's so weird…" Chase mused as Rose grabbed his outstretched finger and clung on. "There's two Rose's in the same place. I never thought I would say that."

"But if time is wounded, doesn't that mean it's safe for Rose to look at herself?" Amy asked curiously, remembering the incident with the Pandorica. She had been able to talk to and touch her younger self without the worry of blowing a hole in the space-time continuum.

"Not this time," the Doctor affirmed with a shake of his head. "Time's only _wounded_ , not damaged at a cosmic scale. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." Amy shrugged. The Doctor nodded and didn't pry. Amy jostled him with her shoulder lightly with a smile. "You're getting better."

"Am I really?" The Doctor humoured her with a smile. "How do you mean?"

"You're less nosy and don't blow up in my face anymore." She chuckled. The Doctor looked away guiltily. Amy rolled her eyes and poked him until he looked her in the eye.

"It's fine, honestly! You were just suspicious and making sure." She reassured him.

"Why would you blow up at Amy?" Chase asked curiously. The Doctor looked at the boy and took a deep breath. He looked at Amy for permission and she nodded.

"The thing with Amy is that she's laced with artron and temporal energy, practically drenched. I sort of…blew up about it and said something mean." He said awkwardly.

"That's an understatement." Amy scoffed. She looked down at the baby again as a thought crossed her. "Hang on. what are you doing with baby Rose?"

"Jackie asked me to look after her." The Doctor said gleefully. Amy looked at him strangely, looking for clarification. "What? She did! What do you think I did, kidnap her?"

"What's so strange about that?" Chase asked.

"Oh, I forgot you met Jackie on a good day." Amy sighed. "It's just really strange when you see how she treated him when they first met."

The Doctor started to coo and play with the baby, leaving Amy and Chase to their own devices. The two talked quietly until Amy could see Rose appear from around the corner. Her conversation with Chase quietened and they watched as Rose walked over to a stiff Doctor.

"Jackie gave her to me to look after. How times change." He told her as soon as she was in earshot.

It was an unspoken habit between Amy and Chase that they would shuffle closer whenever the Doctor and Rose talked after an argument so they could make sure that they didn't kill each other. It was ironic considering Amy had left the Doctor and Rose by themselves to sort out their argument on Platform One. She frowned when she remembered how long ago that memory was. All those months and she still hadn't found Rory.

"I'd better be careful. I think I just imprinted myself on Mickey like a mother Chicken." Rose giggled nervously with a thick voice full of emotion. Amy and Chase shared a nervous look.

"I think we did too."

Rose smiled and leaned over to touch baby Rose. The Doctor immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"No!" The Doctor hissed. "Don't touch the baby!"

The Reapers screeched loudly from outside, urging her to create the paradox to allow them access. Amy scowled at the window.

"You're both the same person." he explained harshly. "That's a paradox, and we don't want a paradox happening. Not with these things outside, and with Amy in that condition."

Amy rolled her eyes. "I'm fine!" She tried to reassure him. She was lying. Her headache was growing steadily worse and so was her breathing.

"Your nose is bleeding again." The Doctor replied curtly. Amy cursed and quickly snatched the tissue Chase offered, wiping her nose clean. Rose looked at her guiltily.

"Anything new, any disturbance in time makes them stronger and allows that crazy guy in Amy's head to break free in the process."

Amy head rose sharply. The Doctor hadn't mentioned this.

"And you think now's that a good time to be sharing this?" she snapped. The man barely glanced at her.

"Can't do anything right, can I?" Rose asked moodily, sitting down next to herself.

"Since you asked, no!" The Doctor snapped, glaring at her dead on. " _So don't-touch-the baby_!"

Amy and Chase shared a nervous look. When the Doctor got sassy, that usually meant he was angry…or grumpy…then again, he was just a sassy person.

"I'm not _stupid_!" Rose bit back angrily.

"You could've fooled me!" The Doctor roared and Rose was taken aback. Amy smacked the Doctor's arm roughly. He looked at her and his gaze softened. "Alright, I'm sorry." His sharp gaze softened even more when Rose finally looked at him. "I wasn't really gonna leave you on your own."

"I know." Rose smiled.

"But between us, I haven't got a plan, no idea." He said sadly and Amy and Chase shared a glance. He was lying, and they were willing to lie with him to protect her.

Suddenly, Amy's inability to breath spiked and she doubled over, collapsing into an alarmed Chase. The Doctor hadn't noticed, too wrapped up talking to Rose. Her head was pounding, tiny flashes of past and other events flashing before her eyes as she struggled to breathe.

She felt three pairs of hands on her back as Amy felt vomit rise up her throat. She immediately pushed all three of her friends away and promptly threw up, a sadistic laughing filling her head as she did.

"They'll get through eventually." The Doctor said sadly, wiping Amy's mouth with a tissue. "The walls aren't that old. And there's nothing I can do to stop them. There used to be laws stopping this kind of thing from happening. My people would have stopped this but they're all gone…and now I'm going the same way."

"If I'd realised…" Rose said quietly. The Doctor looked at her and their eyes locked for the first time since their argument.

"Just…" the Doctor sighed, his resolve breaking. "Tell me you're sorry."

"I am! I'm sorry!" Rose apologised truthfully. The Doctor cupped Rose's face and he grinned, pulling her into a hug. Amy and Chase grinned at each other.

"Have you got something hot?" Rose asked, suddenly pulling back and looking at his chest. Amy burst out laughing, causing the Doctor and Rose to blush. They glared in an attempt to quieten her, but that just increased her laughter.

Rose rolled her eyes and reached into the Doctor's pocket, flinching and throwing something onto the ground. Amy looked at the gold thrumming key, and realised the warmth that was radiating from her own key. Pulling it off her chain, she showed it to the group.

"The TARDIS keys!" The Doctor exclaimed, ripping off his jacket and grabbing both the keys. "It's telling me they're still connected to the TARDIS!"

"That's good, right?" Chase, who was mainly silent for the exchanged, asked.

"Oh yes!" The Doctor grinned. "I think we can get out of this yet!"

* * *

The Doctor stood in front of a podium as he explained what was happening. Amy, Rose and Chase moved to the back of the Church again where they watched silently. Pete walked over and sat behind them, sitting very closely to Rose.

Amy found it very hard to listen. The thrumming in her head kept increasing and she would occasionally see a strange blonde man flash before her eyes briefly. She didn't want to admit it was starting to scare her.

"Amy, are you listening?" Amy jumped at the Doctor's voice. She noticed he was directly in front of her now.

"When did you get so close?" Amy asked. The Doctor's hollow look freaked her out.

"How long has she been like this?" he asked Chase, pulling out the sonic and scanning her.

"She's been doing it all day." Rose said worriedly. "That's what Chase says."

"Oi, stop that!" Amy hissed, slapping the screwdriver away. She looked over his shoulder to see that Chase had moved over to talk to Jackie. "Doctor, I keep seeing this blonde man. He's not the same one as psycho kid in that surreal encounter. Who is he?"

"I don't know." The Doctor answered truthfully. "But you're having memory lapses and you didn't even tell me!"

"I was fine!" she countered.

"Well, what about when time gets sorted out?" Rose asked.

"Then whoever is messing around with Amy can't use what you changed to get out. He'll still be in her head, but hopefully dormant." The Doctor explained. "Everybody here forgets what happened. And don't worry, the thing you changed will stay changed."

"You mean I'll still be alive, though I'm meant to be dead." Pete said from behind them. Everybody turned to look at him. Amy had to admit that the man was bright. "That's why I haven't done anything with my life, why I didn't mean anything."

"It doesn't work like that." The Doctor reprimanded.

"Rubbish!" Pete scoffed. "I'm so useless I couldn't even die properly. Now it's my fault all of this happened."

Rose reached over and grabbed his hand. "This is _my_ fault."

"No love," Pete smiled. "I'm your dad. It's my job for it to be my fault."

"Her dad?" Jackie whispered. Amy looked up and saw that she had moved away from Chase and had walked over to them with the baby Rose. "How are you her dad? How old were you, twelve? Oh, that's _disgusting._ " the Doctor scoffed and walked away.

"Jacks, listen. This is _Rose_." Pete said. This only seemed to upset Jackie more and fire up another tirade of questions. Chase walked over nervously, most likely feeling guilty.

"Rose? How sick is that? You give my daughter a second hand name? How many are there? Do you call them all Rose?"

"Oh, for god's sake, look! It's the same Rose!" Pete yelled, taking baby Rose from her and handing her over to their Rose. Alarm bells started to ring in Amy's head and she reached over to stop her. The Doctor and Chase cried out in alarm.

A loud screeching echoed around the Church, signalling the materialisation of a Reaper. Amy leapt out of her chair and immediately regretted it. Her pounding headache caused her to sway and she would've fallen if Chase hadn't leapt forward and wrapped his arms around her to keep her steady.

Her vision was blurring and a sharp pain ran up her chest. She could feel the blood spewing out of her nose and mouth and the insistent laughing of Psycho in her head. He wasn't joking when he said that it would be painful.

"I'm the oldest thing in this room." The Doctor declared. Amy tried to shake her head in protest. If he died, then everybody in this room would _die_ , either from the Reapers or Psycho.

The Reaper lunged at the Doctor and Rose cried out. Reacting on impulse, Amy shoved the Doctor out of the way and cried in pain as the Reaper engulfed her. The thrumming in her head hurt and the cries of her friends hit her.

Psycho screamed at her for ruining his plans.

And then Amy was washed over with serenity and bliss.

* * *

 _Until we meet again_

* * *

Amy didn't want to open her eyes. Warmth and a gentle breeze enveloped her, encouraging her to continue sleeping. She felt herself drifting further away…

Then a hand gripped her shoulder and her eyes flew open. She turned her head and looking back at her, looking so much older than she had last seen him, was her husband beaming down at her. Tears filled her eyes and a lump formed in her throat.

"Rory?" her voice was barely a whisper. She was too afraid if she spoke any louder, he would disappear. His smile widened and it was all the invitation Amy needed to jump up and wrap her arms around him, pulling him close. He gripped her just as tightly, rocking her slightly as she sobbed into his shirt.

Eventually, he pulled back and grinned at her.

"Hello Amy." He whispered. Amy laughed at the sound of his voice. She hadn't heard it for such a long time. She cupped his stupid face and pulled him in for a tender kiss. Seconds later, she pulled back and rested her forehead against his.

"Where am I?" she asked at last. She took note of her surroundings. She couldn't really see anything other than a golden blur, as if something was stopping her from seeing too much. His grin morphed into a sincere and contemplative grin.

"She fulfilled her promise…just like she said she would." He said proudly. Amy looked at him strangely.

"Who?" She asked.

"Our great old hopping friend," Rory explained cryptically with a grin. "It's August, by the way. A month after…" he looked at her face. "Oh. It hasn't happened for you yet, has it? Never mind then!"

Amy smacked his shoulder lightly. "You're not making any sense!"

"Oh, that's just horrible, isn't it?" Rory retorted in a faux Scottish accent. Amy laughed and smacked his shoulder again.

"Shut up!"

He grinned and pulled her close. They stood there in comfortable silence, listening to the crashing of the waves. Eventually, Amy moved away from his forehead and traced her fingers over the bags under his eyes.

"You look so much older." She mused in a whisper. He smiled sadly.

"A lot of things have happened." He explained, but didn't go into further detail. Amy didn't pry.

"You're from the future, aren't you?" Amy guessed. "My relative future,"

"What makes you so sure that I'm even real?" Rory asked with a glint of humour in his eyes. Amy smiled at him.

"You're always real to me." Amy whispered. "Always,"

Rory smiled and kissed her, holding her close.

"I've missed you." Amy admitted softly. A gold haze suddenly started to wrap around her and fear bubbled in Amy's stomach. She looked at Rory to see him smiling sadly at her.

"Time to go already, huh?" he sighed. "At least I got to see you again. Maybe I'll see you again. Maybe it's the other way around. Who knows?"

"What's happening?" Amy asked. Her panic was slowly starting to bubble down as sleep began to lull her. "Rory, I just found you again!"

Her husband smiled and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "And we have so much more to look forward to, just not yet. I'll see you again, Amy. Don't worry about that." He reassured her. "I love you."

Amy wanted to respond so badly, she wanted to scream out, but her eyes drooped and she fell slowly into golden warmth.

* * *

She woke up with a gasp. Her neck was sore from her awkward position on the floor. Picking herself up and rubbing her head, Amy looked around groggily for a few seconds, trying to remember where she was.

Then it hit her. Noticing the Church was devoid of life, she ran out the open doors and found people crowded around the street. Walking closer, she glanced morosely at the dead body of Pete Tyler.

Walking towards the TARDIS, Amy was caught off guard when a blur of pink and yellow jumped on her. Chase ran up and wrapped his arms around her with a big grin. Amy smiled at him and then looked down at the tearful Rose.

"You're okay!" the girl croaked.

"I'm always okay." Amy smiled sadly. Just when she had found Rory, she was torn away from him. It was okay, though. He said that they would meet again. That gave her hope. She wouldn't give up on her search for him and then they could be together again.

Together or not at all.

The two teenagers moved away from her after Amy had convinced a blubbering Rose that none of it was her fault and allowed the Doctor to walk over and hug her tightly.

"You shouldn't have done that." He said warningly and Amy rolled her eyes at him.

"Try and stop me!" she scoffed. He smiled fondly at her before quickly looking her over with the sonic screwdriver.

"You're fine," he said finally. "No damage, no lasting effects…no parasites." He looked up at her and Amy frowned. She felt fine. Perfect, even.

The strange drumbeat was gone and the images of the crazy blonde man who looked suspiciously like the weird Prime Minister were gone as well, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that Psycho was still with her, waiting for another opportunity to strike.

"I'm fine." She reassured him. The Doctor nodded and walked into the TARDIS with Rose. A breeze ruffled her stained clothing as Amy watched the ambulance carry away the dead body of Pete Tyler.

"So he's gone?" Chase asked. Amy nodded sadly.

"Yeah, he's gone."

"Kind of reminds me of that Flashpoint storyline in 'The Flash.'" Chase mused. Amy turned to reply but her eyes went straight to the graffiti on the wall. The words BAD WOLF was sprayed all over it. Flashes of the wolf with gold eyes bowing its head in respect played over in her head.

Shaking it off, she turned to Chase with a smile.

"Well, we can't dwell on it. We have to move on." She said as she opened the TARDIS door. She turned to him with a grin. "Come on you, adventure's waiting for us!"

* * *

 **A/N:** Two chapters in one as a form of apologies because I'm going to have to take a break from the story! School's piling up and I've got to get on top of it! I _will_ be Starlight Victorious!

What do you guys think of my Psycho antagonist? Good? Bad? Really bad?

Also, I've done a little digging around and thanks to the wonderful Maribor and her (I'm pretty sure she's a female, my apologies if I'm wrong) wonderful Epistolary story, I have realised Amy is from the year 2023 and that she and Rory actually _34._

I'll go back and rewrite parts of the story so it fits into the canon timeline.

Onto the comments! I've been neglecting them for a while, shame on me.

Thank you _Abraminwonderland_ (I'm so glad you enjoy my story!) _Aka-Baka Hoshi_ (Quartet totally slipped my mind! I may go back and change that.) and _Bwburke94_ (That Flashpoint reference was added just for you!)

Well, I'll see you guys really soon! Hopefully, I'll have the next few chapters written over that period of hiatus. I'll probably come back a sobbing wreck over the loss of Clara. Literally. There _will_ be tears.


	28. Christmas Gift

_Christmas Gift_

* * *

Amy watched as the Doctor danced around the console, babbling away. Rose and Chase were following closely behind him. She wasn't in the mood to tune into the conversation. It had been two months since she started travelling with the Doctor, yet Rory was still missing. That chance encounter when the Reapers had consumed her had given her hope, but even that was waning.

"And so, I thought we'd go here…!" The Doctor declared, pulling a lever and sending the TARDIS hurtling into the unknown. The room shuddered and the two teenagers supported each other. Amy clung onto the pilot's seat tightly.

"You really need to work on your piloting skills." Rose exclaimed. Chase nodded in agreement.

"You two are no fun!" the Doctor grinned from over the console as it started to spark. He ducked when the sparks almost hit him and his grin faded. "Okay, maybe you're right."

"Yeah, I think we are!" Chase replied. The Doctor huffed but didn't reply. Finally, the TARDIS stopped its turbulent journey and a soft humming filled the room.

"We've landed," the Doctor announced.

"Landed where? Where are we?" Rose asked. The Doctor hummed gently under his breath as he led the two towards the TARDIS doors. He stopped and turned to her.

"Amy, come on."

Amy shook her head. She was tired, tired of all the running around and searching and finding nothing.

"No, you guys go ahead."

"Don't be like that," Rose sighed.

"Come on, this might not include running around!" Chase urged.

"They're right," the Doctor pestered. Amy narrowed her eyes. He was planning something, she could tell. "Come on!"

She bit her lip. She wanted to hold her ground but she knew they wouldn't leave her alone until she agreed. Sighing, she got off the pilot's seat and joined the three of them at the door.

The Doctor grinned and opened the doors. Cool air hit her cheeks and puffs of cold breath left her mouth.

"No way," Chase breathed as he stepped out of the TARDIS and looked at his surroundings. Rose jumped out and spun on the spot, grinning widely. Amy followed them out, wide eyed in wonder. She heard the Doctor shut the door behind them.

"Oh, I love it here!" Rose grinned.

"Where are we?" Chase asked.

"Woman Wept…" Amy breathed. Her eyes trailed over the tall waves frozen over and the lamenting woman land mass. She noticed Chase staring wonderingly at the said land mass and grinned.

"That's…odd." He said before turning to the Doctor. "So what is this place?"

"Like they said, Woman Wept," the Doctor said. The ocean and the waves are frozen because of something that happened with the sun and now _The Enlightenment_ orbit this beautiful silly rock." He grinned and turned to Amy. "There you go, early Christmas present!"

"It's nowhere near Christmas." Amy breathed. Even though she was in awe at seeing the beautiful planet again, she was still one for flippancy.

"It is when you're in the TARDIS." The Doctor countered. Rose was persuading a hesitant Chase to step on the frozen waves with difficulty. Amy laughed at the scene. The Doctor wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her along.

"Thank you," she whispered, burying her head into the leather jacket to hide her wide smile. "I needed this."

"I know," the Doctor said looking at her with sad eyes. "We'll find him, I promise. I won't stop looking for him."

Amy nodded. "I believe you."

"Oi, you two, hurry up!" Rose yelled at them. She was dragging Chase across the frozen ocean. Amy laughed at his mortified expression.

"Come on, can't keep your lady in waiting!" Amy teased.

"She's not my lady." The Doctor tried.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," Amy waved him off dismissively running to join her friends. "Come on, Woman Wept! We haven't been here in forever!"

* * *

They spent a couple of hours on the planet and Amy was in a good mood for the rest of the day. When they returned to the TARDIS and Rose dragged the men off to watch movies with her, Amy returned to the jumpseat. Her eyes scanned the console room until they rested on the monitor.

She frowned.

Walking towards the monitor, she pressed a couple of buttons but the results stayed the same. They were no longer on Woman Wept.

But they hadn't taken off.

She looked up at the TARDIS.

"You didn't move us, did you?" she asked the sentient ship. She received a strict negative in return. Amy looked at the time rotor curiously, the dim blue glow illuminating off her face.

"So what happened?"

The TARDIS said nothing. Amy narrowed her eyes.

"I get it. It's a future thing, isn't it?"

When she didn't receive a reply, Amy frowned. "I'll take that as a 'maybe'."

* * *

 **A/N:** An interlude chapter for you guys! I'm scrapping my original idea of finishing this story off during this year because now I have exams and that's impossible now!

Just consider this as a midseason finale chapter. Don't worry though; the story will pick up back in January after I've finished my exams of the term! See you then! As typical of midseason finales, it contains hints of the greater arc.

Can we talk about how amazing series 9 was? Like, really amazing! I loved it so much! I can't wait to see where they take us now with Clara gone and River returning for Christmas! My new pen name is dedicated to series 9 to show my devotion towards it...and because I'm a Hybrid, clearly.

Thank you **Guest, Mari Wollsch, Mpalmer89, Bwburke94, Thedarkpokemonmaster, Notwritten** and **Bad Wolf Jen** for your reviews! You guys are amazing!

Merry early Christmas and happy early New Year! I'll see you guys in January with _The Empty Child!_


	29. Remember Me?

_Remember Me?_

* * *

 _See, this love is all we've got. I'm hungry for you my love, so come out and rescue me. Love is just not enough, out in his world of needs._

* * *

Rory watched as the TARDIS faded away and clenched his fist. He was so close to catching Amy but he had failed again. He sighed and took in his surroundings properly. London, around World War Two by his reckoning. His lips curved into a grimace as he remembered this was the time period they were almost exiled to, were _supposed_ to be exiled to.

He still couldn't figure out what happened. One minute he was standing before his own grave and looking questioningly at a beaming Amy and the next he was in a run down park near an apartment complex where he met the blonde girl, _Rose,_ Amy had said after that whole debacle during...

He shook his head and sighed. He didn't want to remember that horrible event. Deciding to explore before she came for him, Rory skimmed past the people as they celebrated for no apparent reason. Thanks to the Doctor of course. Always the gallant hero in the eyes of the people, he thought fondly.

Rory knew better. It was what made his relationship with the Doctor so unique. An old woman bumped into him, grinning happily. She kissed him on the cheek and hobbled off. Rory smiled. It was amazing what effect that man and his wife had on people.

He thought about how he had affected people over his stint as the Last Centurion. All those lonely years looking after Amy in that goddamn box while the Doctor had taken the shortcut, cheater that he was.

He closed his eyes. Cheater. Amy had forgiven him a long time ago. She had told him it wasn't his fault and that it was perfectly normal. Most of the time Rory agreed, sometimes he felt like he had betrayed her. Well, excluding the fact she tried to seduce the Doctor on her wedding night. He chuckled at the memory, all malice gone and replaced with nostalgia.

He had cheated. He had to if he wanted to retain his humanity. All those men and women- after the first century, gender preferences sort of become fluid- over those twenty centuries that he had loved and lost and used simply because he wanted to continue being the man who loved and protected Amy.

He walked through the street solemnly and stopped when he came across a quaint little diner, so out of place in London. He smiled and walked inside.

It was empty, barring the man who was wiping down the surface of the counter. Rory knew it was a pretense.

"Sorry, we're closed." He said in an American accent. He gave off the impression of indifference, and a very obvious libido as he checked Rory out. He wasn't bothered. He was used to his antics by now.

"I know." Rory shrugged, pulling a chair out and sitting down, facing him. "I'd like to see the owner."

The man stopped wiping the surface and gave him a long look. His indifference was quickly replaced with an air of caution and potential malice. Rory rolled his eyes. He was such a stickler sometimes.

"Yes Jack, we've met already, remember?" He said bluntly and the American's shoulder's sagged in relief. He gave Rory his trademark grin.

"Sorry, it's hard to know sometimes with, you know, all the out of whack encounters." Jack said, his relief evident in his voice.

"Tell me about it." Rory scoffed. "How's the job?"

"Absolute hell." Jack said coolly and Rory offered him a consoling grin. He knew all about Jack, the one constant in his centurion life, though Jack didn't remember any of that. He sighed wistfully at the thought. Apart from one other person, Jack was a shining light in his otherwise desensitised life. Sometimes he mourned the loss of the more intimate parts of their relationship.

"Nice necklace." He said teasingly, diverting their conversation to a more neutral yet mutual topic. "I didn't think Guppy or Holroyd would let you keep it."

"I would shoot them both if they tried." Jack said possessively, clutching the necklace tightly. "I made a promise to myself that I would return this to Amy as soon as they come back for me. I just have to wait. They're worth it."

Rory smiled. He didn't just wait for Amy throughout those centuries, he waited for the Doctor as well. So maybe he became the type of person he called out in Venice but it didn't matter because he was worth it.

As for his wife, Rory was pretty sure he made it clear just how much he loved.

"They most certainly are." Rory agreed whole-heartedly. A small, powerful cough attracted their attention to the petite brunette looking at them curiously with eyes sparking mischievously.

"Are you two done catching up?" She asked sarcastically. Rory laughed and craned his head to search for the other brunette.

"Oh, she's not here." Their female accomplice replied breezily as she approached them, closing the back door behind her. She was always a clever one, a perk of being the oldest woman in the universe. "She's out making sure that both Doctors are not going to kill themselves stopping crazed Daleks or stupid con mans." Jack flinched at the last bit. "Among ulterior motives." She shrugged innocently as she sat adjacent to Rory.

"Still looking for that mystery person you won't tell any of us about?" Jack asked.

"Perhaps." She said without missing a beat.

"Are you ever going to tell us? You know, since it involves me and Amy directly." Rory questioned.

"Perhaps." She repeated.

"Real helpful." Jack said sarcastically.

"Time you were off Jack." The woman continued, turning towards their American alien friend. Jack opened his mouth to protest but she raised a hand that silenced him. "I am not having Torchwood on my doorstep looking for their missing operative. Now go."

Jack sighed but conceded. He bowed mockingly in front of their female accomplice and patted Rory on the head affectionately before striding out of the diner. The woman shook her head at him in exasperation.

"He gives immortals such a bad name." She sighed. "So, Mr Williams. I trust _she_ sent you here to watch Amy?"

"Yes, she did." Rory answered coolly. "Do you really not remember me?"

"No, I don't." She said. Rory couldn't tell if she was lying or not. She must have seen the look on his face because she sighed. "I'm an immortal woman with a human sized brain. No offence or anything, but I don't remember everything, even _with_ Jack's Boeshane techniques."

"There might be another reason you don't remember me." Rory said casually. It caught her attention.

"What would that be?"

"It's okay, we took care of it."

" _Tell me."_ She commanded icily. "Even in the company of immortals, I'm stuck with mortals and their secrets."

"You're very grumpy today." Rory noted worriedly. "Is the hunt not going well?"

"No, it is not." She replied reluctantly after a long pause. Rory thought for a second. The Doctor might be against him sharing anything with her in case she somehow gained access to and started messing around with them. Then again, the Doctor wasn't here.

"The cracks in time..." He started reluctantly. The woman fixed him with an annoyed glare.

"Yes, I know what they are." She growled. "You'll have already told me in your future."

"Oh." Rory said. "I'll keep note of that."

"What about the cracks in time?" The woman asked him. "You closed them a long time ago."

"They're still open." Rory explained. "I saw them. Amy thought it was because we hadn't closed them yet, but they shouldn't even exist anymore."

"So what do you think is keeping them open?" The woman asked him curiously.

"I think you already know," Rory countered as he leaned in. "Me."

* * *

 **A/N:** Here is the first instalment of _The Empty Child!_ I have a few things I want to address:

Happy New Year everybody! I had a New Years special chapter planned centring around Chase's development but that never came into fruition because my laptop broke! Luckily I saved it on a backup, but then I fell really ill so I couldn't work on it, so I thought I'd post this as a taster of what's to come. I'll post that story after this part of my quartet series is finished.

Secondly, a thing that I've noticed (and the ever Maribor highlighted, inadvertently reminding me in the process) is that people often portray Rory as a faithful being with a super strong OP resolve. That's just _wrong._ Twenty centuries as _The Last Centurion_ and not seeking love and companionship would break him and Jack was around when Rory was this fabled being, so I used that to my advantage to paint the Jack in the Pandorica Universe as a constant in Rory's life. I also think Amy wouldn't care Rory cheated because, like Maribor said, "s _he's mature enough and reasonable enough to accept this fact, digest it and move on secure in the knowledge that Rory loves and loved her."_ (I love this person so much!)

All the hints of the Doctor and Rory cant be interpreted in whatever way you like. I just think that they shared a strong bond over their shared experiences and that it was criminally underused in canon!

Finally, yes, I admit that I took a key component from _Hell Bent_ and have used it to my advantaged. In my defence, this component actually furthers a story arc I already developed!

Next chapter will return to Amy and the gang. Until then!


	30. Stranger

_Stranger_

* * *

"Do you two mind? I'm trying to work." The Doctor grumbled from underneath the console. Amy and Rose attempted to stifle their laughter but failed. The Doctor huffed and continued his work.

"You know it's not healthy to be so grumpy all the time." Amy advised. The Doctor merely grunted at her. Rose tilted her head.

"What are you doing exactly?" the blonde asked. The Doctor didn't reply. The two shared an eye roll and went back to talking and laughing. The Doctor sighed and got out from under the console.

"Can't get anything done with you two around," He muttered. Amy was about to retort when the TARDIS started to shudder violently and the console sparked, sending her crashing into Rose.

"Every time," Amy growled as she steadied herself. Rose quickly made sure she was okay before turning around and running towards the other side of the console to where the Doctor was frantically working.

"It's sending off an emergency signal!" the Doctor yelled.

"What is?" Amy questioned as another round of sparks flew off the TARDIS.

"What's the emergency?" she asked. Amy dodged another series of sparks that danced off the console and made her way to the other side of the Time Lord.

"It's Mauve," the Doctor explained hurriedly. Amy groaned. Not _that_ again.

"Mauve?" Rose repeated.

"The universally recognised colour for danger,"

Rose looked at him confused. "What happened to red?"

"That's just humans!" the Doctor scoffed. Amy rolled her eyes next to him. "By everyone else's standards, red's camp! Oh, the misunderstandings. All those red alerts, all that dancing."

Amy swatted his arm and he quickly gestured towards the monitor. Amy peered at the screen and saw a metal grey capsule that was supposedly the ship they were following.

"How safe is it?" Rose asked.

"Totally," the Doctor replied. As soon as the words left his lips, another stream of sparks burst off the console.

" _Totally,"_ Amy repeated sarcastically.

"Okay, _reasonably,_ I should have said reasonably there." He grumbled.

"Shut up and drive!" Amy yelled.

The Doctor apparently wasn't listening to her as 0his hands flew over the console. "It's jumping time tracks, getting away from us."

"Can we follow it?" Amy asked.

"Never mind that," Rose retorted. "What exactly is this thing?"

"It's mauve and it's dangerous!" the Doctor shouted back. "And it's about 30 seconds from crashing into the middle of London!"

* * *

The Doctor finally managed to land the TARDIS without crashing, much to Amy's delight. He opened the door and stuck his head out. She walked up to him, mimicking his actions.

"What do you think?" he asked her.

She wrinkled her nose at the sight of the dirty London alleyway.

"Not bad, I guess," she said as she walked out. "At least you didn't crash, again."

"Do you know how long we can knock around space without having to bump into Earth?" the Doctor asked, stepping out and joining her. Rose stepped out after them with flourish.

"Five days?" she guessed. "Or is that just when we're out of milk?"

"Of all the species in all the universe and it has to come out of a cow," the Doctor wrinkled his nose. Amy rolled her eyes, turning to look around the alleyway.

"Eye on the prize, Doctor," Amy reminded him. The Doctor nodded and looked around the alley as well.

"If only Chase was still around to keep us in check." Rose mused.

"Yeah, well, it must have come down somewhere close, within a mile anyway. And it can't have been more than a few weeks ago, maybe a month."

"A _month_?!" Rose repeated incredulously. "We were right behind it!"

"It was jumping time tracks all over the place!" The Doctor defended. "We're bound to be a little bit out. Do _you_ wanna drive?"

"Yes!" Amy replied immediately. The Doctor rolled his eyes at her.

"Ooh, a bit dangerous, that," Rose teased, poking her tongue out. "She can't even navigate a water gun."

Amy grunted at the girl. Rose chuckled as she turned back to their navigator.

"So how much is a _little_?"

"A bit," he answered.

"Is that _exactly_ a bit?" Rose asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Ish," The Doctor amended. Amy rolled her eyes.

"Helpful!" she snapped sarcastically.

"Oh, aren't you just grumpy today?" the Doctor teased. Amy glared at him.

"So, what's the plan then?" Rose asked, steering the conversation away. "Unless you want to get throttled by Amy, you better start talking."

"Oh, that's still a possibility." Amy smiled sweetly. Rose looked at the Doctor giddily.

"Are you gonna do a scan for alien tech or something?"

"Three months, Rose," Amy sighed. "In all that time, have you ever seen the Doctor do anything simple?"

"It hit the middle of London with a loud bang," the Doctor glared. "I'm gonna _ask._ " He said cheerily, producing the psychic paper.

"'Doctor John Smith, Ministry of Asteroids'," Amy read off aloud. She looked at the man incredulously. "Do you think they'll believe that?"

The Doctor shrugged nonchalantly. "It's never failed me before."

"Not very _Spock_ though, is it?" Rose complained. "Just _asking?"_

"Oh, you just had to let her near your _Star Trek_ collection." Amy chided. "It was bad enough when you let Chase near your _'The Flash'_ collection!"

The Doctor ignored them. "Door, music, people, what do you think?"

"As long as they're not Blathereen in disguise, I don't really care." Amy replied snidely.

"Well, I think you should do a scan for alien tech." Rose voiced her opinion. "Give me some Spock! For once! Would it call ya?"

"She asked the Doctor." Amy muttered.

The Doctor scoffed, producing his sonic. He looked at Rose with a raised eyebrow. "Are you sure about that T-shirt?"

Rose looked down at her Union Jack T-shirt and pulled on it awkwardly.

"I don't see anything wrong with it." Amy shrugged.

"Yeah, well, it's too early to say. I'm taking it out for a spin." Rose announced with a smile. The Doctor nodded and Amy noticed how his eyes lingered for a second. She leaned in with a crooked smile.

"When I said 'eyes on the prize', I didn't think you'd take it so literally." She whispered. The Doctor glared at her and Amy moved away triumphantly.

The Doctor managed to crack the lock and opened the door, walking in immediately.

"Come on if you're coming, won't take a minute." He said as he wandered further inside. Amy turned to follow and looked back at Rose expectantly.

"Coming?" she asked when she noticed the blonde was walking further up the alley.

"Yeah, just have to check something." The blonde said distractedly. Amy raised an eyebrow.

"Usually I'm the one who walks off." She said playfully.

"Well, I can't always be the lost puppy." Rose retorted cheekily. Amy snickered and walked inside. Rose would be fine.

The corridor was dark but Amy walked towards the source of idle chatter and music, hoping the Doctor was there. She walked past a bead curtain to find herself in a restaurant of some kind. People in fancy clothes were chatting idly and puffs of smoke from cigars and cigarettes choked the room.

Her eyes soon rested on a poster and her heart sank. She looked around for the Doctor and finally spotted his leather clad body. She tried to reach for him but the Doctor jumped onto the stage as soon as the woman finished her song.

"Excuse me, excuse me!" The Doctor exclaimed, trying to gain the audience's attention. When that didn't work, he tapped the speaker several times. "Could I have everybody's attention for just a mo? Be very quick, eh, hello!" he grinned, waving happily. Amy smacked her forehead.

"Doctor…" she called out timidly, hoping to catch his attention without diverting the attention of his audience.

"Might sound like a stupid question but has anything fallen from the sky recently?"

Pin-drop silence enveloped the room and Amy tried to catch the Doctor's attention again. Then, all at once, the room erupted in bellows of hearty laughter. The Doctor looked at them nervously and Amy rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

"Sorry, have I said something funny?" the Doctor asked. The laughter escalated and Amy resorted to waving frantically. "It's just, there's this thing I need to find, would've fallen from the sky a couple of days ago."

Amy was considering jumping onto the stage and slapping him when a siren rang out. The laughter ceased and people started to leave their seats and hover out the door. The Doctor looked confused. Amy's thoughts drifted towards Rose, who was still wandering around outside.

"Would have landed near here…" he persisted, frowning at the retreating people. He looked up at the ceiling in confusion, completely missing Amy's waves. She huffed in exasperation. "With a very loud…"

"Doctor!" she yelled. He looked at her sharply and she pointed at the poster. His eyes trailed over the poster and a small, defeated smile curled onto his lips.

"…Bang."

* * *

"Well, that plan went down in a ball of flames." Amy muttered unhelpfully as they left the club behind them and walked up the alleyway.

"You're not helping." The Doctor glared at her before turning and calling out for Rose. When there was no response, Amy stopped and frowned. Her eyes skimmed over the empty alley and found no sign of the perky blonde.

The Doctor sighed, walking over to a dustbin and picking up a stray cat. Cradling it in his arms, he looked thoughtful.

"You know…one day, just one day, maybe I'm gonna meet someone who gets the whole 'don't wander off' thing." Amy opened her mouth but the Doctor flicked his eyes towards her. "You're not exactly innocent. You usually go off doing your own thing anyway."

Amy was about to argue but, when she realised he was correct, snapped her jaw shut and shrugged petulantly. The Doctor grinned triumphantly.

The ringing of a telephone cut through the silence. Amy froze at the sound and she noticed the Doctor did as well. They shared a confused glance as they walked up to their mode of transportation. He looked at Amy one more time before pulling the sign aside to reveal the ringing phone.

"How can you be ringing?" He asked himself, completely forgetting Amy was right next to him. She rolled her eyes. "What's that about, ringing?"

"At least it isn't a hypercube." Amy muttered. The Doctor turned to look at her, a look of absolute confusion etched on his face.

"It's not even a real phone!" He protested.

"Yes," Amy snapped. "I know! Are you going to answer it?"

"Is that what I do with a ringing phone?" He asked, scanning it over with his screwdriver. Amy rolled her eyes, her conversation about the Doctor's answerphone coming to mind.

"Yes it is, now stop wasting time!"

"Don't answer it!"

They both jumped at the new voice. Amy spun around to see a young woman with long black hair glaring back at them. She looked the same age as Rose, possibly older."It's not for you."

"Who's it for then?" The Doctor asked her. "You?"

"I'm tellin' ya," the girl said warningly, gulping slightly. Amy noted how scared she looked. "Don't answer it."

"But it's just a phone!" Amy protested, moving towards the object in question.

"No, it's not even that," the Doctor snapped, picking the phone up. "How can it be ringing? It's not a real phone. It's not _connected_."

"It was connected from when I travelled with you." Amy furrowed her eyebrows. "Yet another thing you need to work on!"

"It's not-" he trailed off. Amy followed his line of sight and saw the girl was gone.

"Spooky," Amy shivered dramatically. "Or she just went down the direction she came from! Now answer the phone, let's see who it is."

The Doctor glared at her but complied. He picked up the ear piece and held it to his ear, a goofy grin on his face. Amy rolled her eyes at him.

"Hello? This is the Doctor speaking, how may I help you?" His grin suddenly faded and was replaced with concern. Amy frowned at him. "Who is this? Who's speaking? _Who is this?"_

"What's up?" Amy asked but the Doctor quickly hushed her.

"How did you ring here? This isn't even a real phone. It's not wired to anything."

The Doctor slowly removed the phone from his ear. Dead line, probably. Instead of meeting Amy's curious gaze, he opened the TARDIS door and poked his head inside.

"Rose? Rose, are you in there?"

Something crashed from the direction Amy speculated ghost girl went. The Doctor shut the door and quickly ran ahead. Amy went to follow him when the dummy phone began to ring again.

The Doctor stopped running and turned abruptly. Amy waved him ahead, walking up to the box and picking up the ear piece.

"Hello?" She said, turning to see the Doctor had gone ahead. She was greeted with silence. Clearing her throat, she tried again.

" _Have you made your decision yet?"_ A voice- male- asked her. It sounded ancient and weary that it creeped Amy out slightly.

"Who is this?" Amy asked.

" _You have a dilemma ahead of you girl, I suggest you make your decision."_ The man snapped at her.

Amy furrowed her eyebrows. The Nestene Consciousness had said the same thing to her but that was so long ago that she had forgotten.

"What are you talking about?"

" _How do you like it there with them? Are you learning as much as your infinitesimal brain allows you?"_ The man said and Amy felt a chill run through her.

" _Who is this?_ "Amy demanded.

" _Tick tock Amelia. Tick tock goes the clock for you and the Doctor."_ With that, he hung up. Amy pulled the ear piece away and stared at it for the longest time. Deciding to consult the Doctor, Amy replaced the ear piece and ran in the direction the Time Lord had went.

* * *

 **A/N:** The plot thickens! Nothing much to say other than I made a decision to extend this series to a series of 5 (discounting the special chapters I have planned) because I feel like I would be doing you guys a disservice by not committing to the special arc fully. That, and I _really_ want to do a Children of Earth rewrite badly.

As for what happened to Chase? Spoilers ;3 You're just going to have to wait for _Bridging The Gap_ , a oneshot which I intend to publish after _Alone In Uncharted Territory_ is complete. Whether he died or not is up to you guys for the time being.


	31. The Empty Child

_The Empty Child_

* * *

The phone call was still playing around in Amy's head, so she didn't believe she could really be held accountable when she crashed into a petite brunette while running down the alleyway in hopes of catching up with the Doctor.

Amy was about to apologise but when she looked at the woman more closely, she struggled to get the words out of her mouth and pursed her lips as nonchalantly as she could. The woman seemed undeterred, smiling at her kindly, which only made Amy shiver.

"Not exactly from around these parts, are you?" The woman asked, gesturing towards Amy's attire. She couldn't find it in herself to snort at the joke, too mystified and weary of the anomaly in front of her. The woman seemed to catch on, looking at her worriedly.

"Amy, are you okay?" She asked and Amy was sure she jumped at least twelve feet. She backed away from the brunette slowly, but she only followed her curiously. "Ok, this isn't funny. Stop doing that!"

"How do you know me?" Amy demanded. "Better yet, how are you here? I saw your dead body in 2017!"

The woman paused. She suddenly looked bashful. "Ah, we haven't met yet. I thought you were just playing hard to get. Again." She shook her head and Amy didn't know how to reply. "Oh, you saw that too? It's not really something I think about."

"Again, who are you?" She asked again.

"It doesn't matter." The woman said brusquely. "You are going to forget this meeting and we are going to go our separate ways for now."

With that, she walked past Amy and started down the way to the nightclub. Amy turned to look at her expectantly.

"But I've seen you," she revealed. "You're there sometimes, on some weird planet or even London, it doesn't matter! Everywhere we go, I see you. Why is that?"

The woman paused ad tilted her head to smile enigmatically at her. She said nothing, walking away a second later. Amy watched her go, wondering who exactly she was and how they would grow to be acquainted. It didn't help that the girl reminded her a lot of the Doctor.

The sounds of the planes overhead shook her out of her trance and she started down the alleyway again. She found herself at the back of a house but there was no sign of the Doctor. She huffed, about to go back the way she came when she heard it.

" _Mummy?"_

It was the voice of a small child. It was distant, most likely on the other side of the house. He sounded lost. The sound of a bomb going off suddenly made Amy very self-conscious of the boy's safety. She followed the direction of the voice, finding herself on an empty, barren street.

"Hello?" She called out for the boy.

" _Mummy?_ " The voice called out again.

"Hello, are you lost?" Amy called out as she followed the voice. "Do you need help?"

" _Are you my mummy?_ "

The child came into view. He looked distressingly young to be wondering around by himself but Amy couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed by his presence. The horrible thing was that she didn't even know why she didn't want to help him.

" _Mummy?"_ The boy repeated, drawling the word. Amy took a step back as the boy steadily approached her.

"A-are you okay?" She asked, internally cursing herself for stuttering. It was absolutely ridiculous that she was scared of a little boy.

Amy yelped in surprise when someone grabbed her and pulled her into a house. She found herself being shoved into a surprised Doctor. When she turned around, she saw ghost girl hurriedly slamming the door shut and locking it.

"What's this, then?" The Doctor asked, looking at the shadow of the child in concern. Amy shivered at the sight of him. There was something...off about the little boy. "It's never easy being the only child left out in the cold, you know."

"I supposed you'd know." Ghost girl quipped bitterly.

The Doctor looked down at her with a dark expression on his face, as if he was reliving a past and distant memory.

"I do actually, yes."

Ghost girl shifted uncomfortably under the Doctor's withering glare.

"It's not exactly a child." She supplied before running into a dining room which, Amy noted with surprise, was full of children. As soon as she was out of sight, the Doctor turned to her.

"What took you so long?" He asked her heatedly. Amy narrowed her eyes at him. He had become a little _too_ protective ever since their encounter with the Reapers.

"Never mind that! Who is she and who are all these kids?" She demanded, gesturing towards the retreating children in question.

The Doctor looked like he was about to yell at her when the child whimpered outside and captured his attention. He moved over to touch the hand sticking out from the letter box, ignoring Amy's protests.

Suddenly, a vase went flying over her and crashed into the door just below the child's hand.

"You mustn't let him touch yah!" Ghost girl chided the man.

"What happens if he touches me?" The Doctor asked curiously and Amy gulped. She had a feeling that whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"He'll make you like him." Ghost girl said quickly, looking eager to leave.

"Something's wrong with him." Amy said. "But what?"

Ghost girl shook her head stubbornly, turning to leave.

"Nancy!" The Doctor growled, his voice cracking like a whip. The girl stopped dead in her tracks. "What's he like?"

The girl- Nancy- stared at them for the longest time. Finally, she took in a shuddering breath.

"He's empty."

Amy jumped when the phone suddenly started ringing.

"That's him." Nancy whispered fearfully. "He can make phones ring, he can. Just like with that police box you saw."

"No, Doctor, these was something else. Just after you left-"

"Not the time." The Doctor cut her off curtly. He curiously picked up the phone but the younger girl growled at him and slammed the phone down.

Something went off behind her and Amy let out a yelp, awkwardly standing beside the Doctor. The child's voice rang out of a toy monkey like a mantra, repeating the same words over and over again. What made it even more unnerving was that the monkey was rocking back and forth clashing the cymbals together.

"Stay if you want to." Nancy warned them with haunting clarity and quickly left. Amy quickly went over to the monkey and picked it up. Frowning, she turned it over and located a speaker grill.

She gasped as her head was filled with images of her sitting in the TARDIS by herself. One image showed her sitting underneath in her little hiding hole, while another showed her gazing out at the stars longingly. Just like that, the visions stopped. She looked down at the monkey, putting it down slowly and exiting the room to find the Doctor slowly undoing the lock.

"Doctor, don't!" She called out but it was too late. The door slid open but nothing came. She followed him out, breathing a sigh of relief. The zombie child had disappeared.

"Do you know what it is?" She asked him as she looked around the street.

"No." He answered. He looked distracted, staring down the street curiously. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Amy asked him as she caught up with him. "And where's Rose?"

"You never did explain what took you so long." He turned to look at her with a confused look. "Where _is_ Rose?"

"Doctor, the phone call." Amy diverted his attention. "There was this...man. He talked like he knew me but I didn't recognise his voice. I don't think I've ever met him in my life, but...the way he spoke...I think he knows my future."

The Doctor turned to look at her sharply.

"Why do you say that?"

"It's just the way he spoke, you know? It's like he had foreknowledge."

"I'll check after this is all other." The Doctor said as they continued down the road. Amy sighed and turned to another topic of discussion.

"Moving on...what about our "mister creepy?" I mean, is he gone now? For good?" She asked worriedly.

"Why?" The Doctor asked her, looking concerned.

"I just had another vision." She admitted reluctantly. She instinctively slapped the screwdriver away from her as soon as he pulled it out. "Don't do that. I'm fine."

"I should run a scan just in case." He tried.

"Doctor." Amy snapped before sighing and lowered her voice. "Just...tell me he's gone."

"Does he scare you?" He asked her instead. Amy sighed and ran a hand through her hair, staring at the road ahead. She had no idea where they were going but she trusted his instincts. "Amy..."

"Yes. Yes, he does." She answered meekly.

And there it was. That look of sadness that would cross his face whenever Amy admitted she was scared. It seemed some things transcended regeneration, even if the regeneration in question was a previous incarnation that was not familiar with her just yet.

The Doctor quickly looked away from her and at the road ahead.

"He won't bother you. I'll make sure of it."

"Promise?" Amy asked, catching the steely resolve in his eyes. She gulped.

"I promise."

* * *

"How'd you follow me here?" Nancy asked them wearily as soon as she spotted them. Amy still had no idea how the Doctor had found her, but she wasn't complaining.

"I'm good at following, me." The Doctor answered coolly. "Got the nose for it."

Amy choked on her laughter. The Doctor glared at her and she decided to focus her attention on the disused train that was Nancy's makeshift home. The tinned cans of food and loaf of bread looked much more interesting than the Doctor's burning gaze.

"People can't usually follow me if I don't want them to." Nancy said confidently.

"My nose has special powers." The Doctor said proudly and Amy laughed again. Nancy chuckled along with her.

"Yeah? That's why it's...uh..." She made an elongated gesture on her nose as a method of explanation and Amy laughed again. All those years of the Doctor mercilessly teasing Rory about his nose. Oh, Karma was such a good friend.

"What?" The Doctor asked, looking at the two self-consciously.

"Oh, it's nothing _Beaky."_ Amy said assuredly and Nancy choked on her laughter.

" _What?"_ He cried, looking at Nancy helplessly.

"Do your ears have special powers too?"

With that, both she and Amy collapsed in a fit of giggles. She raised her hand for a high five, but awkwardly put it down when Nancy just looked at it. Then they both started laughing again.

"What are you trying to say?" The Doctor asked. Amy could practically hear his annoyance.

"Goodnight, mister, missus." Nancy said simply, turning away with a smirk.

"Nancy!" The Doctor called out again. Just like before, the girl stopped obediently. "There's something chasing you and the other kids. Looks like a boy but isn't a boy, and it started about a month ago, right?"

"What, you think the boy's an alien?" Amy asked.

"The thing I'm looking for," The Doctor continued as if Amy never interrupted him. She rolled her eyes. "The thing that fell from the sky, that's when it landed, and you know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Nancy looked at them. "There was a bomb. A bomb that wasn't a bomb. Fell the other end of Limehouse Green Station."

"Take us there." The Doctor asked.

"There's soldiers guarding it." Nancy shook her head. "Barbed wire...you'll never get through."

"Try me!" The Doctor answered confidently.

"You sure you wanna know what's going on in there?" Nancy asked incredulously.

"I really wanna know!"

" _We_ really wanna know." Amy corrected.

"Then there's someone you need to talk to first." Nancy said.

"Who's that?" Amy asked curiously.

"The Doctor." She answered after a pause before walking away as if nothing happened. Amy gaped at her retreating figure. She turned to look at the Doctor.

"But...what?" She stuttered.

The Doctor chuckled.

"Well then. Let's go meet 'the Doctor."


	32. The Con Man

_The Con Man_

* * *

Nancy eventually took them to the bomb site after they had caught up with her. The Doctor produced some binoculars from his inter-dimensional pockets and examined the site from afar.

"The bomb's under that tarpaulin." Nancy explained. "They put the fence up overnight. See that building?" She asked Amy, pointing at the large brick building just beyond the sight, hiding in the shadows. "The hospital."

"What about it?" The Doctor asked. Amy looked at him weirdly.

"The Doctor...and a hospital?" She attempted to clue him in but he just stared through his binoculars blankly. Amy threw her hands up in exasperation. "Where else would you find a Doctor?"

"In a hospital?" The Doctor scrunched his nose. "I hate hospitals, I'm hardly in them!"

"You'd be surprised." Amy muttered. Nancy was looking at the two strangely, but she looked like she could care less about their conversation.

"Well, for now, I'm more interested in getting in there."

"Talk to the Doctor first." Nancy said sternly.

"Why?" The Doctor and Amy asked simultaneously.

"Cos then maybe you wanna get inside." Nancy said with a gulp.

"Try and stop us." Amy scoffed. Nancy shrugged and turned around to leave.

"Where are you going?" The Doctor asked, not even looking away from the crash site.

Nancy turned to look at him with a glare. "There was a lot of food in that house. I've got mouths to feed. Should be safe enough now."

"Can I ask you a question?" The Doctor turned to her with a quizzical expression. "Who did you lose?"

"What?"

Amy watched as the Doctor lowered his binoculars and turned to the stunned Nancy. "The way you look after those kids. It's 'cos you lost somebody."

Amy glared at him, ready to reprimand him when Nancy unexpectedly answered him.

"My little brother, Jamie. One night I went out looking for some food. Same night that thing fell. I told him not to follow me, told him it was too dangerous, but he just...he just didn't like being on his own."

"What happened?" Amy asked.

"In the middle of an air raid?" Nancy snapped. "What do you _think_ happened?"

Amy looked down bashfully, feeling stupid for asking.

"Amazing..." The Doctor murmured, a hint of amusement in his voice. Amy turned and glared down at him incredulously.

"What is?" Nancy asked, confusion laced in her tone.

"1941. Right now, not far from here, a German war machine is rolling up on the map of Europe. Country after country, falling like dominoes. Nothing can stop it. Nothing. Until one tiny, damp little island says 'No!'. 'No, not here.' You're amazing, the lot of you. Dunno what you do to Hitler, but you frighten the hell out of me. Off you go then...do what you've gotta do. Save the world."

Nancy said nothing, giving them one last lingering glare before turning around and leaving swiftly. Amy watched her for a second before turning around and following the retreating Time Lord.

She studied him again. She couldn't help it, it was a habit. He was so different from her Doctor, who was all gangly and bow ties while this one was gruff and sporting leather jackets. Maybe that was why she wasn't all that bothered watching her son in law cavorting with Rose.

Maybe it was because she knew the Doctor needed others in his life than River.

"Mighty coincidence, don't you think?" Amy spoke up, catching the Doctor's attention.

"Hm?" He didn't sound like he was really paying attention. Amy rolled her eyes.

"I said I thought it was a coincidence." She repeated. "That her brother dies on the same day," she gestured towards the fallen bomb. "That thing crashes."

"Well, it's like you said, it's just a coincidence." The Doctor shrugged it off. Amy smiled knowingly.

"Never ignore a coincidence."

The Doctor said nothing. He kept walking away and Amy wondered if she somehow insulted him. Finally he turned to face her with the biggest grin she had ever seen plastered onto his face.

"Amy Pond, you are absolutely fantastic." He beamed.

"I am, aren't I?" Amy said happily, smirking victoriously. The Doctor scoffed and playfully shoved her.

"Careful, you could grow another head from all that self love."

"Or maybe a Time Head!" Amy gasped dramatically, bumping him playfully. She smiled despite the situation because just for a moment, she could pretend it was just her and her raggedy Doctor again.

* * *

They finally made their way to the gate. They looked up at the big gold lettering emblazoned into the sign. _Albion Hospital._

"Déjà vu" Amy muttered.

"Never thought we'd be back here again." The Doctor admitted. He turned to her with a frown. "Come on."

"Let's hope there's no pigs." She growled.

The Doctor chuckled softly as he pushed the gate open.

* * *

As soon as they entered the hospital, Amy immediately regretted not following Rose to god knows where she went.

The hospital, for lack of a much better word, was chilling. Her breathing became ragged as flashes of the Greystark orphanage hall and the unseen enemy infiltrated her mind. The scariest thing was that the memories wasn't even the thing she was focusing on.

"Why is it so quiet?" She asked, peering into a room. "You'd think this place would be full of life with the bombings."

"Yeah..." The Doctor muttered absentmindedly. Amy turned to see him walking into another room. "Good point, that."

Amy huffed and chased after him. She found herself in a ward full of seemingly comatose people. They all varied in appearances, ranging from soldiers to women to children but their defining aspect was the gas mask attached to their faces. They walked around for a while, soaking in their surroundings.

"What's wrong with them?" Amy whispered. "Why isn't anybody helping them?"

The Doctor said nothing. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into another ward despite her protests. There were more people lying on the beds with gas masks firmly attached on their faces. The Doctor let go of her and circled the beds. It was like a scene in a horror movie.

Amy spun around as she heard the door open. She gaped as an elderly man walked inside, her heart hammering in her chest. The man barely spared her a glance before turning his attention to the Doctor.

"You'll find them everywhere." The man explained. "Every bed in every ward. Hundreds of them."

"Yes, we saw." The Doctor answered, suspicion leaking into his tone. "Why are they all wearing gas masks?"

"They're not." The man replied evenly. The confidence in his tone made Amy falter. "Who are you?"

"I'm..." The Doctor trailed off, glancing at Amy for a second. "Are you 'the Doctor'?"

"Doctor Constantine." The old man introduced professionally. "And you are?"

Amy hurriedly stepped in. "I'm Amy and this is Doctor Smith." She paused for a second. "Minister of asteroids."

Constantine scoffed. "They don't exist."

Amy sighed. "Yeah, tell me about it."

"Nancy sent us." The Doctor interjected, shooting her a glare. Amy shrugged helplessly.

"Nancy? That means you must've been asking about the bomb."

"Yes." The Doctor confirmed with a nod.

"What do you know about it?" Constantine asked the Doctor as he moved to the centre of the room. He seemed to have forgotten about Amy's presence completely.

"Well, we came here to ask you." Amy pointed out, annoyed she was being pointedly ignored. "What do _you_ know about it?"

Constantine looked at her anxiously. "I only know of the aftermath."

Amy didn't like the sound of that.

"These people- were they all caught up in the blast?" The Doctor asked.

"None of them were," Constantine chuckled. The chuckles subsided into hacking coughs and the old man struggled to keep himself upright. Amy helped him to a chair, noting with a furrowed eyebrow how he would avoid direct contact.

"You're very sick." The Doctor noted.

"Dying, I should think. I just haven't been able to find the time." He sighed remorsefully. "She said you were a doctor?"

"Of sorts."

"Have you examined any of them yet?" The old man asked.

"...No." The Doctor replied.

"Don't touch the flesh." Constantine advised warningly. Amy looked at him strangely. Nancy had said the same thing about the creepy kid who, now that she thought about it, also had a gas mask.

"Conclusions?" Constantine asked and Amy realised the Doctor was scanning someone with the screwdriver.

"Massive head trauma, mostly to the left side," The Doctor said. "Partial collapse of the chest cavity- mostly to the right. There's some scarring on the back of the hand." Amy noticed Constantine shifted uncomfortably and got suspicious. She looked down and noticed he had folded his arms. "The gas mask seems to be fused to the flesh but I can't see any burns."

"Examine another one." Constantine ordered.

The Doctor walked over to another patient and scanned only to freeze.

"Doctor?" Amy asked timidly. He looked at her with a haunted and confused expression.

"This isn't possible." He exclaimed.

"What? What is it?"

"No." Constantine agreed.

"What aren't you telling me?" Amy demanded.

"They've all got the same injuries!" The Doctor explained.

"Yes." Amy realised Constantine already knew everything the Doctor was discovering.

" _Exactly_ the same?" Amy asked incredulously.

"Yes." Constantine nodded.

"Identical!" The Doctor reported. "All of them. Right down to the scar on the back of their hand!" Amy noticed Constantine fidget again. "How did this happen? How did it start?"

"When the bomb dropped, there was only one victim."

"Nancy's brother." Amy remembered. Constantine nodded.

"Nancy said he died." The Doctor frowned.

"He did...at first." Amy's stomach sunk to the pit of her stomach. "His injuries were truly dreadful. By the following morning every doctor and nurse who had treated him- who had touched him- had those exact same injuries. By the morning after that, every patient in the same ward had the exact same injuries. Within a week, the entire hospital. Physical injuries- as plague. Can you explain that?"

Amy sighed heavily. This was Rory's forte, not hers. She walked over to a patient and examined him. She heard the Doctor and Constantine arguing about something or other, but she wasn't really paying attention. The sound of the strange drumbeat filled her head. The four beats always in rapid succession...

The patient suddenly shot upright and Amy screamed. She felt the Doctor grab her and pull her back.

"It's alright!" Constantine assured them quickly. "They're harmless. They just...sort of sit there. No heartbeat. No life signs of any kind. They just...don't die."

Amy's mind went to the Daleks, the very beings that couldn't die naturally.

"And they've just been _left_ here." The Doctor deduced. "Nobody's doing anything?"

Amy watched as the bodies slowly lay back in their beds and returned to their strange coma. The Doctor looked go of her and turned his attention back to Constantine.

"I try and make them comfortable, what else is there?" Constantine asked them morosely.

"And it's just you?" Amy asked, eyeing the patients in the doctor's uniforms. "By yourself?"

"Before this war began, I was a father and a grandfather." Constantine told her sadly. "Now I am neither, but I am still a doctor."

The Doctor mumbled in agreement and Amy squeezed his hand in comfort. He looked at her and she gave him a sad smile. He smiled sadly back at her.

"I suspect the plan is to blow up the hospital and blame it on a German bomb."

Amy's head shot towards him. "They can't do that! What about all these people?" She turned to the Doctor. Constantine started coughing but she ignored him. "Is this not a fixed point? Is time in flux?"

"Yes, it is." The Doctor nodded sadly before his expression changed to determination. "But we'll try and preserve history as best as we can, I promise."

"Listen to me." Constantine wheezed. "Top floor. Room 802, that's where the took the first victim..."

"Are you alright?" Amy asked, noticing the old man's state.

"The one from the crash site," Constantine continued. "And you must find Nancy again."

"Nancy?" The Doctor asked wearily, pulling Amy back with him.

"Miss Amy was correct-"

"Mrs." Amy corrected automatically. She frowned at that.

"It was her brother. She knows more than anyone. She won't tell me but she mi- ...mi-…" he gagged and clutched his neck. His eyes widened in fear.

"Get back Amy." The Doctor said softly as he pulled her back. Amy's eyes stayed rooted on Constantine as she watched his transformation. A black cylinder crawled from his mouth and black webs snaked his skin. His eyes widened and turned to glass, accompanied by the sound of breaking bones. Amy felt sick.

It was then she realised it was a gas mask.

"That's horrible." Amy whispered. The Doctor squeezed her hand in comfort but she could barely feel it.

" _Hello!"_

The cheerful male voice snapped Amy out of her trance. The poor soul must have wandered into the hospital, unknowing of the horror inside.

" _Hello?"_

"Rose?" Amy muttered, confused. She shared a confused glance with the Doctor and, with one last look at Constantine, left the ward.

Only to run into Rose and a rather handsome stranger. She frowned. There was something about him that she didn't like. Something, going by Rose's glazed expression, her perky blonde friend hadn't picked up on.

"Good evening," The man said in an American accent. "Hope I'm not interrupting- Jack Harkness." He declared as he shook the mute Doctor's hand, who looked like he was eyeing his competition. Amy could barely keep the smirk off her face.

The American turned to her and physically stopped, openly admiring her. Amy was glad she chose to wear jeans.

" _Hello."_ He grinned salaciously. Amy's eyebrows shot up incredulously. "You must be Amy. Rose told me all about you."

"Oh did she?" Amy asked in a faux cheery tone, looking over the man's shoulder to smile at Rose. The girl got her message and smiled sheepishly.

"Yes she did." The man continued. "But she never mentioned you were so..."

"Married?" Amy supplied immediately, flashing her wedding ring. She could certainly appreciate the man's attractiveness, but there was something about him that made her weary of him.

Besides, no one could beat Rory.

The man's grin widened and he turned to give the Doctor a once over. "Cool. This your husband? I'm all for a team player, _especially_ for you two."

Amy's eyebrows shot up again and Rose flushed so much she turned as red as Amy's hair. The Doctor grunted and rolled his eyes derisively. And here she thought this Doctor was a flirt.

"He knows," Rose said abruptly. Amy gaped at her in shock. Rose caught her look and cleared her throat quickly. "I had to tell him about us being _Time Agents."_ She stressed the word and Amy furrowed her brows. She had never heard of the Time Agents.

"And it's a real pleasure to meet you Mr. Spock," He grinned and winked at Amy. "Mrs Spock."

He walked off before he could see Amy roll her eyes dramatically.

"Mr. Spock?" The Doctor asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What was I supposed to say?" She asked defensively. "You don't have a name! Don't you ever get tired of 'Doctor'? Doctor who?"

"Nine centuries in, I'm coping."

"Where have you been anyway?" Amy asked, taking in her friend's rugged appearance. "There's bombs crashing around London, you know."

"Not the time to take a stroll." The Doctor hummed.

"Oh, I know." Rose said bitterly, shoving past them. "And who's strolling? I got caught up in a barrage balloon."

Amy caught up to her. A million thoughts whizzed through her head but she decided on one. She smirked.

"With that shirt?" She asked.

"Tell me about it." Rose grinned and they both giggled.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and grumbled.

"Listen," Rose said so seriously that it cut off Amy's giggles. "What's a Chula warship?"

The Doctor stopped, looking at Rose strangely.

" _Chula_?"

"What is it?" She asked him. The Doctor didn't answer.

"Come on, let's go play ' _Show and Tell_ ' with Mr. Harkness."

"Yes, _Mr. Spock."_ Amy quipped sarcastically.

* * *

Amy didn't really pay attention as Jack scanned the bodies with his blatant alien tech. Rose, on the other hand, was staring at Constantine in shock and slight repulsion and Jack with an adoration that made Amy roll her eyes. She was always going after the pretty ones. She noted the distrust in her eyes as well though. Maybe she wasn't as lost a cause as she thought.

"This just isn't possible." Jack exclaimed, frowning at his scanner. "How could this happen?"

"What kind of Chula ship landed here?" The Doctor asked instead with narrowed eyes.

"What?" Jack asked. The man was too busy reading off his scanner that he was only half paying attention. Amy and Rose shared a look and folded their arms in sync.

"He said it was a warship." Rose supplied bitterly. "He stole it- Parked it somewhere out there, somewhere a bomb's gonna fall on it- unless we make him an offer."

"Nice driving." Amy muttered darkly. "Bomb gonna drop on it _and_ kill a child at the same time? The ultimate driving sensation!"

Jack snapped his head towards her, looking at her darkly. "I didn't kill anyone! There was no life signs in the area when dropped it here. No one to be killed."

"Really?" Amy asked incredulously. "Cause a ship crashes, kills a child, starts what could be an epidemic and then you tell us you also have a ship?" She fixed him a cold glare. "I hardly think you're a good judge, or a person who passed basic Maths."

"What kind of warship?" The Doctor asked again before Jack could argue with her.

"What does it matter? It had _nothing_ to do with this!" He huffed, glaring at Amy to prove his point. She narrowed his eyes at him.

" _This_ started at the bomb site." The Doctor said angrily. "It's got _everything_ to do with Iit. What kind of warship?!"

"An ambulance!" Jack snapped angrily, pulling his jacket to reveal a vortex manipulator on his wrist. Amy blanched at the sight of the mode of transport. "Look!"

A hologram of the same ship they were chasing appeared over his wrist.

"That's what you chased through the Time Vortex. It's space junk. I wanted to kid you it was valuable. It's empty. I made sure of it. Nothing but a shell. I threw it at you. Saw your time travel vehicle- _love_ the retro look by the way," Amy rolled her eyes. "Nice _panels_ ," Oh great, he was ogling a ship. "Threw you the bait-"

"Bait?" Rose asked in confusion.

Amy glared at him. She had seen his like before. She _had_ grown up with Mels Zucker.

"He's a con man, Rose." The man looked at her in surprise. "Charge us double and then the German bomb lands on it before we can even see it, am I right?"

"Red catches on quick," Jack said admiringly. "You sure you're not a con woman yourself?" Amy paused, shooting a slightly guilty glance at Rose. She still hadn't told her about her past so, in a way, she was conning her friend.

"You said it was a _war_ ship." Rose yelled indignantly.

"They have ambulances in war," He snapped impatiently. "Red was right, surprisingly. I'm a con man. I thought you were Time Agents but you're not, are you?"

"Don't call me Red." Amy growled.

"Just a couple more freelancers." Rose spat at him.

"Ah, should have known. The way you guys are blending in with the local colour. I mean, Flag Girl was bad enough, but U-Boat captain?!" He yelled and Rose and the Doctor looked down at their articles of clothing uncomfortably. "By the way, Amy," he smirked at her. "Nice legs."

Amy's temper flared as she walked up to the man so she could punch him.

"I wonder how nice you'll find my legs when I kick you in your fu-"

The Doctor pulled her back.

"Anyway," Jack looked back at the group as if Amy hadn't just threatened his manhood. "Whatever's happening here has got nothing to do with that ship."

"What _is happening here,_ Doctor?" Rose asked.

"Human DNA is being rewritten...by an idiot." Jack straightened at the jab, affronted. He seemed awfully sure of himself that he didn't kill a child. Just being he was a con man didn't make him a murderer, then again both she and Melody had conned people in the past and they were both sort of murderers.

"What d'you mean?" Rose asked nervously.

"I dunno. Some kind of virus. It's converting human beings into these things," he nodded at the comatose bodies. "But what's the point?"

"Why the gas mask?" Harkness- she was no longer on first name basis with him- asked, scanning a body again. "It's made out of bone..."

Rose bent over to examine a body. The body suddenly shot up and Rose flinched in shock. Amy grabbed her and pulled her away. The bodies slowly rose from the beds and walked around, mindlessly calling for their mummy.

"What's happening?" Amy asked as she pulled Rose back with her.

"I don't know." The Doctor admitted. Amy gasped when she found they were being led into a dead end.

"Oh, here we go again." Rose said, trying to make light of the situation. Amy chuckled nervously as the bodies advanced, Constantine leading the hoard.

"Don't let them touch you!" The Doctor warned.

"What happens if they touch us?" Rose asked, moving to stand closer to the Doctor. They were all but backed into the wall by now. No chances of escape.

"You're looking at it." He replied darkly.

Amy watched as Jack's hand disappeared into his jacket and grabbed it without hesitation. He glared at her but she gave him a warning look. She wouldn't let him commit murder.

Though, as she watched the Gas mask zombies approach them, she couldn't see any chances of escape.

* * *

 **A/N:** Blimey! I finally pulled through! That's the end of _The Empty Child,_ next up is _The Doctor Dances!_

 **Thedarkpokemonmaster:** I'm glad I was able to make you smile! Truth be told, this story just evolved as time went on, I like to believe it's much more intricate and I hope that you find it satisfying overall!

 **Bwburke94** : Yup! Here's some Handsome Jack action! I'd like to develop him some more in this story before we move onto _Stalked by Doomsday!_

That's all. See you guys soon!


	33. Answers to Mysteries

_Answers to mysteries_

* * *

"Go to your room."

Out of all the things she expected to come out of the Doctor's mouth, Amy didn't expect _that_. She looked over at Rose, but her friend looked just as confused. The horde looked equally thrown.

"I mean it!" The Doctor exclaimed and Amy looked at him worriedly. His face was less impassive and had adopted a stern look to replace it. "I am very, very angry with you! I am very, _very_ cross! Go- to- your- ROOM!"

The gas mask zombies stopped moving and tilted their heads like reprimanded children trying to understand their father's intention. Finally, they relented and skulked back to their beds meekly. Amy watched as they sank into their beds before she let out a breath of relief.

"Good job." She congratulated the Time Lord.

"I'm really glad that worked." The Doctor grinned. "Those would have been _terrible_ last words."

Amy rolled her eyes and walked towards a bed with Rose. She leaned towards the body cautiously and examined it. It appeared to have fallen back into its catatonic state.

"How was your con supposed to work?" She heard the Doctor ask Jack. Turning around, Amy found the con man had sunken into a chair.

"Exactly how Red explained." Jack said with a shrug but didn't elaborate. "The London Blitz is great for self-cleaners. Pompeii's nice too if you want to make a vacation of it though- but you've got to set your alarm for volcano day." He laughed at his own joke. They all looked back at him, unamused. He forced his laughter to recede and sighed. "Getting a hint of disapproval."

"You think?" Amy bit out sarcastically.

"You're not a very nice woman." Jack growled.

"I have a lot of pent up anger." Amy retorted.

"Oh, I _bet_."

"Down, boy."

"Take a look around the room." The Doctor snapped suddenly. "This is what your 'harmless piece of space junk' did. And now you're flirting with a married woman who clearly wants nothing to do with you."

"Laying it on a bit thick, isn't he?" Rose murmured under her breath and Amy nodded.

"It was a burnt out piece of medical transport." Jack repeated with irritation. "It was _empty."_

The Doctor said nothing, simply walked away from the man. Amy got up and followed him, dragging Rose with her.

"We getting out of here?" Rose asked hopefully.

"We're going upstairs." The Doctor explained briskly.

"Room 802." Amy recalled.

"Exactly."

Amy stopped at the sound of an alarm.

"What's that?" Rose asked nervously.

"The all-clear." Jack sighed.

"I wish." The Doctor scoffed. He fixed Jack with one last glare before storming off. Amy leaned over and snatched the blaster holstered on Jack's waist.

"Confiscated." She said simply before chasing after the Doctor, ignoring his protests. There was no way in hell she was leaving him along with Rose armed. The man was a wildcard as it was. She charged up the steps and finally caught sight of the Doctor.

"Hey! Slow down!" Amy yelled out at him. The Doctor turned to her and slowed his pace so she could catch up.

"How are you, Amy?" He asked suddenly.

"What? I'm fine..." She frowned at him. He nodded. "Are you going to tell me why you asked that?"

"Well, you had a parasite leeching off you _and_ you were taken out of time." He answered bluntly and Amy cringed.

"Come on, I'm fine now." She tried to reassure him. "When the Reaper whammied me, it seemed to do the trick. I don't feel Psycho in my head anymore."

The corners of the Doctor's lips twitched. "Why do you insist on calling him that?"

"Blame Chase and his _Flash_ obsession. I think Cisco rubbed off on me." She laughed.

"Let me see that blaster." He said distractedly, snatching the gun from her hand without waiting from an answer. He then tilted his head and looked down the staircase. "Up here!"

Rose and Jack stumbled a bit, before turning around and running up the stairs. Clearly they had gotten lost. The Doctor shot Jack a withering look before walking down the hallway. They quickly followed him.

"The night your space junk landed, someone was hurt." The Doctor informed them as they approached a door, the words and letters _Room 802_ emblazoned in brass letters. "This was where they were taken."

"What happened?" Rose asked worriedly.

"Let's find out." The Doctor said, handing the blaster to Jack. "Get it open."

Jack grinned and Amy's heart skipped a beat. She frowned at that. She wasn't even attracted to the man, yet she had such a strong reaction. She looked up as a flash of blue caught her eye. In place of the lock of the door was a perfectly cut square. Amy frowned. It was just like River's blaster.

"Sonic blaster, 51st Century. Weapons Factories of Villengard?" The Doctor said analytically. Amy looked at him quizzically.

"How do you remember all this?" She asked and he grinned at her smugly.

"I'm just clever."

She smacked his arm.

"You've been to the Factories?" Jack asked curiously.

"Once." The Doctor shrugged.

"Well they're gone now, destroyed, the main reactor went critical- vaporised the lot." Jack explained for their benefit and Amy and Rose shared an eye roll.

"Like I said- once." The Doctor grinned widely. "There's a banana grove there now. Bananas are good."

"Is that why your leather jacket smells like bananas?" Amy asked him.

The Doctor simply walked through the door and Amy quickly followed, scowling internally as Rose flirted with the con man. She was worried Rose would get herself hurt.

Her mind suddenly focused on the room. The place was trashed from top to bottom. It reminded her unhelpfully of Melody's orphanage room. She shuddered at the memory.

"What do you think?" The Doctor asked them as soon as Rose and Jack joined them.

" _Something_ got out of here." Jack muttered.

"Yeah, and?" The Doctor motioned for them to continue.

Jack sighed. "Something powerful. Angry."

"Powerful and angry," The Doctor pondered and Amy suddenly realised he knew more than he was letting on. She went further into the room, examining how the steel framed bed was flipped on its side and pictures littered the room, each of them depicting a woman. Amy was going out on a limb and guessing this was 'mummy'.

"A child?" Jack asked incredulously. "I suppose that explains 'mummy'."

"How could a child do this?" Rose asked, motioning to the mess. "I mean, unless he's Mirakuru addled, I don't see how he could manage this."

Amy paused and straightened, looking back at Jack critically. He looked a lot like Malcolm Merlyn...

" _Do you know where you are_?" She heard a voice from a tape player. Amy frowned.

"Constantine?" She asked. The Doctor raised a hand to silence her.

" _Are you my mummy?"_ The child- Jamie- asked.

" _Are you aware of what's around you? Can you...see?"_

 _"Are you my mummy?"_

 _"What do you want? Do you know-"_

 _"I want my mummy. Are you my mummy? I want my mummy!"_ And then the child trailed off into an endless litany of 'mummy'. Rose took a shuddering breath.

"I heard that voice, in the alley." She explained.

"Us too." The Doctor nodded, scanning the wall.

"Always 'are you my mummy?' Like he doesn't know." Rose pointed out before looking at the Doctor with an angry look on her face. "Why doesn't he know?!"

"Orphaned?" Amy shrugged. "Nancy was taking care of him, maybe they lost their parents in the war."

"Who's Nancy?" Rose asked her as the Doctor started pacing the room.

"The sister of the child." Amy explained when it became clear the Doctor wasn't. "She seemed pretty annoyed. Maybe it's because of this?"

"No, it's something else." The Doctor muttered as the recording persisted.

"Doctor?" Rose asked worriedly.

"Can you sense it?" The Doctor asked her.

"Sense what?" Jack asked, sounding as confused as Amy felt. She pondered what the Doctor could be sensing.

"Coming out of the walls. Can you feel it?" He raised his hand and touched a wall. Amy shared a nervous look with Rose.

"Funny, little human brains, how do you get around in those things?" The Doctor scoffed bitterly. Amy rolled her eyes.

"When he's stressed, he likes to insult species." Rose explained to Jack.

"I just think he likes to insult in general." Amy piped up. "He's insulting when he's bored, annoyed, angry, happy, you name it."

"Amy, I'm trying to think." The Doctor huffed, frustrated.

"Cuts himself shaving, does half an hour in life forms he's cleverer than." Rose smirked and she started to snicker with Amy.

"There are these children living tough outside the bomb site." The Doctor started, acting as if the girls hadn't laughed in his face. "They come out during air-raids looking for food."

Amy heard a soft tapping but ignored it. "Is that why they were in that house?"

"Right." The Doctor nodded. "Suppose they were there when this thing- whatever it was- landed."

"It was a med ship!" Jack protested. "It was harmless!"

"Yes, you keep saying, 'harmless'. Supposed one of them was affected- altered."

"Altered how?" Rose asked nervously.

" _I'm here."_

"It's afraid. Terribly afraid and powerful. It doesn't know it yet, but it will do." He laughed, but it was small and mirthless. "It's got the power of a god, and I just sent it to it's room."

Amy froze. A chill washed over her. The Doctor sent the child to it's room. Room 802 was the child's room. The soft tapping noise probably signalled the end of the tape.

Instinctively, she spun around and the child was there, peering at them. Amy let out a small scream. The Doctor pulled her back as Jack jumped forward.

"Okay...on my signal." He said with a puffed chest.

"Oh, now's not really the time to be expressing your vanity." Amy hissed.

"Good point." Jack sighed, reaching for his holster. She frowned. The Doctor was holding his blaster. "Make for the door. NOW!"

He whipped out a banana out of his holster and Amy laughed at his shocked expression. Memories of the Doctor and River's encounter in Berlin filled her head.

The Doctor grinned and blasted a square hole into the wall. "Go, now! Don't drop the banana!"

"Why not?" Jack yelled as they all hopped through the hole quickly.

"Good source of potassium!"

Jack scoffed and quickly reverted the square hole to wood.

"Digital rewind," He breathed heavily, tossing the banana back to the Time Lord. "Nice switch!"

"It's from the Groves of Villengard." The Doctor smirked. "I thought it was appropriate."

Jack shook his head. "There's really a banana grove in the heart of Villengard and you did that?"

"He does that a lot." Amy whispered conspiratorially.

"Banana's are good." The Doctor shrugged.

A loud thump caught their attention.

"Power of a God, yeah?" Amy asked nervously. "How long does it take a God to get through a door?"

"Let's not find out," The Doctor said, grabbing her hand and dragging her along. "Come on!"

They ran down the short flight of stairs and down the hallway. Suddenly, a horde of zombie gas masks appeared from the end, blocking their path. Amy wriggled out of the Doctor's annoyingly protective grasp and tried to run the other way when Jack grabbed her and pulled her towards him. More zombies had appeared on the other end.

They were trapped.

"It's keeping us here so it can get at us!" The Doctor shouted.

"It's controlling them?" Jack asked incredulously, pulling out his blaster.

" _It is them_. It's every living thing in this hospital!"

"Okay, this can function as a sonic blaster, a sonic cannon and a triple-enfolded sonic disrupter. Doc, what you got?"

The Doctor pulled out his screwdriver and started to stutter nervously. Amy rolled her eyes.

"Now is _really_ not the time!" She yelled at the two.

"Agreed." Rose breathed, grabbing Jack's wrist. "Going down!" With that, the girl pointed the blaster to the floor and pulled the trigger.

They descended into darkness.


	34. Reverse Interrogation

_Reverse Interrogation_

* * *

Amy groaned as soon as she hit the floor. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Jack point his blaster at the ceiling, most likely stopping any unwanted guests from joining them.

"Could've used a warning." The Doctor grumbled as he rubbed his shoulders.

"Yeah, I just had the wind knocked out of me." Amy groaned.

"The gratitude!" Rose said sarcastically and rolled her eyes. She looked dazed from the fall.

"A _screwdriver?"_ Jack asked incredulously and Amy turned to see him looking at the object in question.

"It's sonic!" The Doctor defended.

"Who has a _sonic screwdriver?"_ Jack continued, eyeing the Doctor quizzically.

"I do!" The Doctor cried indignantly. Amy and Rose shared an eye roll and went off in search of a light switch while the boys bickered. Amy's hand brushed over something that felt like cloth. Rose cried out in triumph as she turned on a light switch and Amy yelped.

" _Mummy?"_

They had managed to find another ward and the inhabitants were looking at them curiously. Amy wasted no time running towards the door and trying to push it open. She let out a huff when it wouldn't budge. Jack pushed her aside and pointed his blaster at the lock. The gun let out a low hum.

"Damn it!" He yelled as it died, whacking it angrily. The Doctor shoved him out of the way and pointed the sonic at the lock. "It's the special features, they really drain the battery."

" _Batteries?!"_ Amy and Rose yelled simultaneously as they ran through the unlocked door. The Doctor quickly snapped them shut.

"I was gonna send for another one," Jack defended. "But _somebody's_ gonna blow up the factory."

"Oh, I know," Rose sighed, eagerly jumping into the gossip. "First day I met him, he blew my job up. That's practically how he communicates."

Amy considered this. The Doctor had blown up her shed the first time they met. She shrugged when she realised it was true.

"How about you, Red?" Jack asked curiously. Amy glared at him.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss this with you, Harkness." She bit. Jack raised his hands in surrender.

"That should hold it for a bit." The Doctor said, cutting the conversation short.

"The door? The _wall_ didn't stop it!" Jack hissed.

"Well, it's got to _find_ us first!" The Doctor argued back. "Come on, we're not done yet! Assets, assets!"

"Well, I've got a banana, and in a pinch you could put up some shelves." Jack scoffed sarcastically.

"It's okay, just point Amy towards the nearest weapon, preferably a sword." Rose said and Amy laughed. Her face fell when she realised the girl was partly seriously.

"One woman against people with the power of a God?" Jack asked incredulously. "I mean, no offence- you have the beauty of a goddess and all, but I'm pretty sure they'd squash you like a bug."

"Thanks." Amy said bluntly. "What about the window?"

"Barred, sheer drop outside, seven stories." Jack poked holes in her suggestion.

"And no other exits." Rose realised with a wince.

"Well," Jack smiled as he sat in a chair. "The assets conversation went by in a flash, didn't it?"

The Doctor stopped and looked at Jack for a long time before turning to Rose with a glare. "So, where'd you pick this one up, then?"

Rose was about to protest but Jack jumped into the conversation eagerly.

"She was hanging from a barrage balloon, I had an invisible spaceship, I never stood a _chance."_

Amy frowned at the man. There was something about him, and it wasn't just that weird attraction towards him, there was something deeper. Affection maybe, but she didn't know why. She couldn't remember having any premonitions of the strange man.

The Doctor was talking but Amy was too surprise when Jack leapt at her and grabbed her wrist.

* * *

The next thing she knew, she was standing on a ship. She looked at the captain blankly.

"Planning to kill me?" She asked. She sounded far too calm even to her ears.

"Well, it wasn't part of the plan." Jack frowned before fixing her with a cheeky grin. "Do you want me to?"

Amy shrugged in reply. "Not particularly."

"I just figured your two companions would love some alone time." Jack grinned salaciously. Amy didn't bother to stroke his imagination.

"Take me back to them," Amy ordered. "Now."

Jack just grinned and pressed a button. "Rose? Doctor? Can you hear me? I'm back on my ship with Amy, used the emergency teleport. Sorry, only had enough power for me plus one." He switched it off and turned to her. "I lied. If you wanna know why, keep quiet."

Amy glared at him as he turned back to the console. "I'm working on rerouting more power to the teleport- hold on."

" _How are you speaking to us_?" The Doctor asked through the console, confusion laced in his tone.

"Om-Com," Jack announced. "I can call anything with a speaker grill."

Amy froze. "Speaker grill?" She repeated.

" _Now there's a coincidence_." The Doctor muttered darkly. Jack turned to look at her.

"What?"

The Doctor quickly relayed the information they had gathered back in the house. Amy was growing increasingly agitated, the sooner she finished whatever Jack wanted, the sooner she could get back to her friends and sort out this mess. Rose's freaked out voice broke her out of her thoughts.

" _And I can hear you!"_

Amy jumped back and crashed onto the floor. It was then she realised she had somehow made her way to the bed to process the information.

" _Coming to find you. Coming to find you"_

"Get them out of there!" Amy yelled.

"Doctor, can you hear that?" Jack asked instead. Amy didn't wait for the man's reply.

"Get them out of there. Now!" She ground out. Jack glanced at her briefly.

"I'll try to block out the signal. Least I can do." He said, flipping switches overhead. "Remember this one, Rose?" He asked with a smirk as she flicked a switch and music blocked out the child.

"Our song..." Rose said finally, sounding a little embarrassed. Amy narrowed her eyes as Jack closed the connection.

"Would you calm down?" He snapped at her but she wasn't listening.

"Why is she like that?" Amy asked. "Rose." She clarified at his confused expression. "I mean, I know she has the hots for you but this is something else. What is it?"

"Very demanded, aren't you?" Jack chuckled. "Just a chemical pheromone developed into the 51st Century. Makes us more...attractive, though let's be honest, I don't really need it."

"Oh great, you're facetious too." Amy glared at him. "What do you want from me? Hurry up so we can get them out of there."

All humour was gone from Jack's face and was replaced by seriousness that it was almost jarring.

"Who exactly are you three?" Jack asked. "I get that you're freelancers but other than that, you're complete mysteries."

"Ah," Amy chuckled without humour. "You brought me for an interrogation."

It was then she noticed the blaster resting on the console.

"Going back on not killing me?"

"No. It's just in case I have to end up killing the three of you." Jack explained.

"Why?" Amy asked in surprise. She understood him shooting her or the Doctor- or both- but Rose?

"Like I said, you three are complete mysteries. Unknown variables- not to mention you outrank me in terms of number. I'm just levelling the playing field."

"And to shoot the child if necessary." Amy realised.

"Yes." Jack replied coolly.

"You're the one with two spaceships." She pointed out.

"Yeah, but what are you?" Jack asked, leaning in curiously. "Specifically you, there's...something about you. I can't put my finger on it."

"Yeah, maybe you can explain it to me instead." Amy said, looking him in the eye. He felt the same feeling. It sure as hell wasn't attraction, her love for Rory was fixed. This feeling wasn't as strong as her feelings for Rory or the Doctor but it was above her feelings for Rose. It was confusing.

"Are you even human?" He asked.

"Are you?" She redirected the question back at him.

Jack chuckled, a light tone resounding in it. "Why do I feel like _I'm_ the one who's being interrogated?"

Amy considered telling him about the psychology lessons the Doctor practically forced upon her but decided against it.

"Psychology degree." She shrugged. It wasn't lying, technically. "Now bring them here."

He chuckled again but this time it sounded forced. He flipped a switch. She jumped at Rose's voice and turned to see the two leaning towards each other.

"If ever he was a captain, he's been defrocked." The Doctor said bluntly. Rose grinned in response.

"I could agree to that." Amy said and relished in how the pair jumped apart abruptly.

"Actually I _quit_." Jack bit. "Nobody takes my frock." He turned towards the pair who were looking at the ship in surprise. "Most people notice when they've been teleported," he smirked at them. "You guys are so _sweet_. Sorry about the delay. I had to take the nav-com offline to route the power to the teleport."

Amy crossed her arms and frowned. The Doctor seemed to have noticed her actions and his eyes darkened.

"You can spend ten minutes overriding your own protocols?" He asked angrily. "Maybe you should remember whose ship it is."

"Says you." Amy smirked.

"Oh, I do remember." Jack chuckled fondly. "She was _gorgeous._ But, like I told her- be back in five minutes."

Amy flinched at that.

"This is a _Chula_ ship." The Doctor said. Amy frowned at the name. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head. Leaning down, her eyes flitted over Jack as he worked on a mess of wires and landed on a tube of hallucinogenic lipstick. She swallowed the giggle that threatened to erupt from her throat. No wonder the name sounded so familiar.

A golden glow caught her attention. Raising her head, she gasped at the firefly-like lights floating around the Doctor's hand.

"They're what fixed my hand up! Jack called 'em..."

"Nanobots? Nanogenes?" The Doctor supplied.

"Nanogenes, yeah." Rose confirmed.

"Sub-atomic robots," The Doctor explained. "There's millions of them in here...see? Burned my hand on the console when we laded- all better now. They activated when the bulk heads sealed. Check you out for physical damage, fix any physical flaws."

Suddenly, the nanogenes flew out of the Doctor's hands and danced around a surprised Amy.

"Uh, what's happening?" Amy asked nervously. The Doctor looked at her in surprise but didn't say anything.

"The owner of this ship, she programmed the nanogenes to lock onto family DNA. A specific code that only exists in families that you lot haven't discovered yet."

"Do you know what this means?" Rose asked seriously. Amy frowned, worried Rose had figured out her secret but the girl's face just split into a wide grin. "Your future descendant's a time traveller!"

Amy's temper suddenly flared without her wanting it to.

"Yeah?!" She snapped at the girl. "Then this stupid thing must be faulty, cause I can't have kids, can I?!"

The flinch and shock that crossed Rose's face calmed Amy down. She folded her arms and sank further onto the bunk before her head hit the wall. A cold wave washed over the room as the other people in the room looked at her in surprise and pity. She hated that. She hated the pity on their faces just because she was too secretive for her own good.

"I'm...sorry." Amy apologised to Rose. "I shouldn't have snapped."

"No, no- it was my fault." Rose quickly amended. "I...I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"You're right. You didn't."

The Doctor quickly cleared his throat, addressing Jack but keeping his remorseful gaze locked on Amy.

"Take us to the crash site. I need to see your space junk."

"As soon as I get the nav-com back online." Jack said quietly, pulling out the plugs on his blaster. A dimly lit screen showed Amy it was only charged halfway. A ghost of a smile crossed her face. The man may be an insufferable facetious flirt, but he was fair- to an extent. "Make yourself comfortable. Carry on with whatever it was you were...doing."

"We were talking about dancing." The Doctor replied innocently.

"That didn't look like talking." Jack quipped with a smirk.

Rose said nothing, opting to just stare at Amy, wringing her arms in obvious distress.

* * *

Hey, hey, I can explain myself! Moffat confirmed that River was the owner of the ship, so I had to use that! Speaking of River, we'll say that her encounter with the Ninth Doctor was during one of his "late night" adventures and that's why she isn't appearing.

Speaking of Moffat, the news crashed down on me as soon as I uploaded the last chapter. I'm so upset he's leaving but I'm so damn happy for what he's given us for these past ten years and I hope he'll return to write stories now and again. I love that man too much. In a way, this series is my last connection to him for now.

As for Chibnall...I expected Whithouse, so I have mixed feelings. **BUT** , if he gives us the same quality as Broadchurch, I'll welcome him with open arms. It also helps he's written some of my favourite episodes!

 **Thedarkpokemonmaster:** Thanks for your reviews! Amy will definitely see the Doctor's affections for Rose, but that won't necessarily come in the concluding chapter(s) of _The Doctor Dances_ ;3 I have **huge** plans for Bad Wolf that will resound throughout the rest of this (hopefully not too convoluted) storyline. As for darkness...brace yourself for the original two stories. That's all I'm saying.

 **Bwburke94:** I can explain this! Seeing as the TARDIS is sentient and very blatantly has a media room, I used that as an excuse for Chase having watched the past, current and future series of CW's Arrowverse (The show's Cisco is who I was referring to through Amy). In a time machine, there really aren't many anachronisms regarding comics and TV shows :3


	35. Alive

_Alive_

* * *

 _I'm not asleep, no, I'm alive._

* * *

"So, you used to be a Time Agent and now you're trying to con 'em?" Rose asked just as Amy was about to scream at someone to say something and break the uncomfortable silence.

"If it makes me sound any better, it's not for the money." Jack replied. Amy's eyes flickered towards him. He was still working on the console, avoiding her gaze.

"What's it for then?" She asked quietly.

He met her gaze, and held it for a second before looking away, ashamed. "Woke up one day when I was working for them- found they'd stolen two years of my memories. I'd like them back."

"They _stole_ your memories?" Rose asked for clarification.

"Two years of my life. No idea what I did." He affirmed. "Your two friends don't trust me. For all I know, they're right not to."

They all lapsed into silence again. Finally, Jack leaned back in the chair and gave a tired sigh.

"Sometimes I wish I was the Weary Traveller." He murmured so quietly Amy almost missed his comment.

"Who?" Amy asked with renewed interest. Jack looked thrown at her sudden curiosity. "Who is that person?"

"No one of importance- does it matter?" He asked incredulously. The Doctor stepped in.

"It could. We keep hearing about her sometimes, whispers throughout time. Who is she?"

"Well, she's nobody." He caught their looks and quickly amended his comment. "I mean, she's a fairy tale- practically a nursery rhyme!"

"So tell it." The Doctor all but growled at him.

"It's just a story I grew up with," Jack rambled. "There's nothing conclusive but the character is said to be derived of a ancient goddess with hair as bright as the sun itself."

"Sounds a bit like you." Rose leaned in and whispered in her ear playfully. Amy smiled and softly swatted her arm.

"That's about all I know, the rest is just speculation. Some say she could control the immortal Wolf itself, others say she had the power to manipulate time and even then, there's still rumours she could do both." He snorted. "All I know is that I'd _really_ like to meet her."

The Doctor nodded but remained silent. Amy herself became embroiled in her thoughts. Jack's cough caught their attention.

"I'm finished. Ready for a trip to the crash site?"

* * *

"There it is." The con man pointed at the tarp covered object that they had previously seen. He had parked his ship away from the site to avoid destroying it. They had walked all the way back to the rail station. "They've got Algy on duty. Must be important."

"We've gotta get past," The Doctor muttered.

"The words 'distract the guard' heading in our general direction?" Rose asked mischievously.

"I don't think that'd be such a good idea." Jack chuckled.

"Don't worry...I- _we_ can handle it." Rose said, almost in offence.

Jack just shook his head at the girl. "I've gotten to know Algy quite well since I've been in town. Trust me, you're not his type. I'll distract him." With that, he jogged off. Amy turned around and laughed. Rose's jaw had dropped to the floor and she was looking at the retreating Captain.

While the Doctor and Rose talked about 51st Century 'dancing', Amy watched Jack closely. She frowned when his posture stiffened. When Algy started to hack uncontrollably, she sprung into action and raced over, the Doctor and Rose at her heels. She stopped in shock as the man went through the transformation.

"Stay back!" The Doctor ordered. Jack repeated the command and the men obeyed.

"The effect's become airborne. Accelerating." The Doctor sighed.

"What's keeping us safe?" Rose asked. The Doctor turned to look at her.

"Nothing."

Amy quickly raised her hand to check for a scar but didn't locate one. She jumped when an air-raid siren rang around the disused station.

"Ah, here they come again." Jack winced.

"All we need," Rose muttered.

"The contaminants airborne now, there's hours left."

"Well then we'd better get to work." Amy muttered, walking towards the tarpaulin. The Doctor grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Can anybody else hear singing?" He asked. She paused and listened.

"Yeah," She confirmed with a nod. "I can."

The Doctor released her and quickly ran over to the shed. She turned to her two companions.

"Let's go." She ordered, shepherding them towards the object.

"Who put you in charge?" Jack muttered.

"Myself," She replied bluntly.

As soon as they reached the ship, Amy looked around for any guards but didn't find any.

"You should've waited for me!" The Doctor exclaimed as he ran up to them, a confused Nancy straggling behind him.

"No time." She growled as she grabbed the tarp. With help from the Doctor and Jack, she pulled it back to reveal the same gun grey ship they chased through the Time Vortex.

"You see?" Jack pointed at the ship. "It's just an ambulance."

" _That's_ an ambulance?" Nancy asked, confused.

"It's hard to explain, it's...from another world." Rose explained.

"They've been trying to get in." Jack announced, leaning over the controls.

"Of course they have." The Doctor scoffed. "They think they've got their hand on Hitler's latest secret weapon. What are you doing?"

"Well, the sooner you see this thing is empty, the sooner you'll see I had nothing to do with it." Jack glared.

As soon as the words left his lips, the controls sparked and they jumped back. An alarm pierced the air and Amy winced.

"Great, just great." She groaned.

"That didn't happen last time." Jack said desperately.

"It hadn't crashed last time." The Doctor snapped. "They're the emergency protocols."

"Doctor," Rose moved to stand beside Amy. "What is that?"

Amy leaned in and saw a flashing red light. The Doctor pushed past her and fished his sonic out of his pocket.

A loud bang alarmed Amy. She turned around and gasped as a horde of gas mask zombies rattled the gates angrily.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled. Amy turned around and found another horde of gas mask zombies at another gate.

"Captain, Amy," The Doctor yelled. "Secure those gates!"

Jack opened his mouth to protest but Amy shoved him towards the nearest gate and ran towards the other one and slammed it shut before locking it quickly. She turned around to find Jack had done the same.

"It's empty!" Jack exclaimed cheerfully. "Look at it!"

Nancy and Rose walked back from wherever they went, the former looking a little dazed.

"What do you expect in a Chula medical transport?" The Doctor asked Jack, clearly unimpressed. "Bandages? Cough drops? Rose? Amy?"

"I dunno." Rose shook her head.

"Yes you do." The Doctor mimed clicking his fingers. Realisation crossed Rose's face.

"Nanogenes!"

"Wait, that can't be," Amy said, attempting to grapple to the new information. "You said the nanogenes were, what, bound to me?"

"Two different ships. This one doesn't contain the same nanogenes as the one in the other ship. Tiny little robots run amok on Earth." The Doctor mused before turning to Jack. "It wasn't empty, Captain. There was enough nanogenes in there to rebuild a species."

Jack let out a low gasp and looked down, ashamed.

"But why the gas masks? That's not what humans look like!"

"When the ship crashes, the nanogenes escape. Billions upon billions of them, ready to fix all the cuts and bruises in the whole world. But what they find first is a dead child, probably killed earlier that night and wearing a gas-mask."

"Jamie." Amy nodded in understanding and Nancy choked a sob.

"And they brought him back to life? They can do that?" Rose asked.

* * *

Amy gasped and pulled back, the Doctor's speech drowned out and replaced by the images of a young man dying, probably from asphyxiation by the pale complexion.

" _Don't go,"_ a male voice begged, sounding like he was on the verge of tears. " _Don't leave me...please!"_

The image flickered, and a crossroad was overlaid with the previous. A gentle whisper filled her head and lulled Amy.

" _Choose, Amy. Choose."_

* * *

Amy's eyes snapped open abruptly. She was being steadied by the Captain while the Doctor and Rose talked to Nancy.

"Some Doctor he is." Jack muttered. Amy couldn't help but compare his voice to the one in the vision.

"You just don't know him." She said confidently. "You haven't seen the things he can do."

An explosion cut off Jack's words. He turned to the Doctor with fear in his eyes.

"Doctor!" He called out in warning. "That bomb. We've got seconds."

"You can teleport us out!" Rose suggested pleadingly after another explosion. Jack didn't respond, staring at the planes.

"I could only take another," he said finally. "The Nav-com's back online. Gonna take too long to override the protocols."

Amy cursed River for being so efficient.

"So it's volcano day. Do what you've got to do." The Doctor said.

"Take Rose." Amy demanded. Rose opened her mouth to protest but Jack roughly shoved Amy into the girl's arms.

"No wonder they took your memories." Amy growled. "You're nothing but a coward."

Something akin to hurt crossed Jack's face before he teleported away. Rose whispered his name, looking and sounding betrayed. Amy rubbed her shoulder consolingly before walking over the Doctor, who was staring down a sobbing Nancy.

"A teenage single mother in 1941." The Doctor said mournfully. Amy winced and wrapped her arm around the sobbing woman in hopes of comforting her. "So you hid. You lied. You even lied to him."

There was a loud bang and Amy turned to see the gates swing open. The child stood there, staring at them with that creepy burning gaze.

" _Are you my mummy?"_

"He's gonna keep asking, Nancy," The Doctor told her. "He's never gonna stop. Tell him."

Nancy didn't move and Amy pulled back, grudgingly searching for a weapon to use if needs be.

"Nancy. The future of the human race is in your hands." He pleaded. "Trust me...and tell him."

The Doctor gently pushed her as the child walked closer to them. He then grabbed Amy and stopped her search for a weapon.

"Yes," Nancy whispered when the child repeated the question. "Yes, I am your mummy."

The child approached her.

" _Mummy?"_

"I'm here." Nancy said quietly, walking towards him.

" _Are you my mummy?"_

"I'm here." Nancy knelt down in front of him.

Amy bit her lip when the child asked again. It wasn't working. Rose slowly walked up to them and watched the scene as it unfolded.

"Why isn't it working?" Amy asked sadly.

"He doesn't understand," The Doctor whispered. "There's not enough of him left."

Nancy, however, straightened in determination. "I am your mummy. I will always be your mummy. I'm so sorry!" With that, she pulled the child into her arms and hugged him, whispering to him. The child stood there motionlessly.

The air lit up around them.

"Nanogenes." Amy gasped in wonder, a triumphant laugh escaping her lips.

"Doctor, it's changing her." Rose said nervously. "We should-"

"Shh!" The Doctor silenced her, watching the nanogenes intently. "Come on, please. Come on you clever little nanogenes- figure it out! The mother. She's the mother! There's gotta be enough information, figure it out!"

"What's happening?" Rose asked in wonder.

"See?" The Doctor pointed at the pair. "Recognising the same DNA."

Nancy pulled back suddenly and landed on the ground. Rose ran over to help her while the Doctor ran over to the child. Amy looked up, searching for the bomb.

"Oh, come on!" The Doctor begged. Amy looked down to see him staring at Jamie intently. "Give me a day like this. Give me one like this!"

He reached over and grabbed the bottom of the mask. Amy held her breath and watched as she pulled.

The mask fell away, and a blonde haired little boy smiled sheepishly at the Doctor. Amy drew out her breath and let out a triumphant cry. The Doctor laughed and grabbed Jaime, twirling him in the air.

"Welcome back!" He beamed. "Twenty years 'til pop music- you're gonna love it!"

The Doctor explained the scenario to Nancy as Amy ran over. Nancy gasped and pulled her child close. She arrived just in time to steady Rose as the ground shook beneath them.

"Doctor, the bomb!" Amy said worriedly.

"Taken care of it!" The Doctor cried triumphantly.

"How?" Rose asked him.

"Psychology?" He shrugged.

A low whistling filled the air. Amy grabbed Rose and pulled her towards Nancy and Jamie, trying her best to shield them all.

When the bomb didn't drop, she looked up to see the bomb in a large funnel of light. Jack was straddling it with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Harkness, you're full of surprises!" Amy grinned at him.

"There's plenty more." He winked suggestively at her. She narrowed her eyes playfully. "The bomb's already commenced detonation. I've put it in stasis but it won't last long."

"Change of plans!" The Doctor declared. "Won't need the bomb. Can you get rid of it, safely as you can?"

Jack faltered but nodded a second later. "Rose?"

"Yeah?" The blonde called up.

"Goodbye. Love the T-shirt." Rose tugged on her shirt with a blush as Jack turned to Amy and his face fell again. Amy didn't like that look. "See you around."

With that, the teleported away. The Doctor walked forwards, summoning the nanogenes.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked him.

"Software patch," The Doctor grinned. "Gonna e-mail the upgrade. Amy, give me a hand." A stream of nanogenes left the Doctor's hand and danced around Amy's own. She slowly walked up to the Doctor.

"I thought you said they weren't bound to me." She whispered breathlessly.

"I'm allowed to be wrong. Now, it's all in the flick of the wrist," he advised before facing the horde with a wide grin. "You want moves, Rose? I'll give you moves."

He flicked his wrists and the nanogenes zipped towards the gas mask zombies. Amy did the same and watched in delight as her nanogenes did the same.

"Everybody lives. Just this once. Everybody lives!"

A lulling filled Amy's head and she looked down to see tendrils of nanogenes surrounding her. She looked up to find she was no longer in the abandoned railway station. A gold haze surrounded her and her daughter was grinning at her with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Melody." Amy whispered.

"Hello mother." She grinned.

"What is this? Where are you? ...Where am I?" She asked.

"Oh, I coded the nanogenes to put you to sleep so we could talk. You're in a dream state. You're still in the station." River explained.

"Did you plan for Harkness to steal your ship." Amy asked.

"Of course I did!" River exclaimed, pretending to be affronted. "Do you really think I would fall for such a cheap cabaret act?"

Amy laughed but her face quickly fell. "Why?"

River's face fell as well. "Because I need you to know it's okay."

"What's okay?" Amy asked.

"Everything," River breathed. "Mother, what happened in the graveyard- what Kovarian did to you- none of it was _your_ fault. You left because you felt it was right. Kovarian kidnapped you to use me." Her face fell and she looked pained. "You don't need to feel like you have to carry the burden. Goodness knows the world doesn't need another Amy temper tantrum!"

Amy laughed through her tears.

"I couldn't just sit around and watch my mother suffer." River said quietly. Tears still flooded down Amy's eyes but she smiled at her.

"So what are you up to now?" Amy asked.

"Oh, I'm just about to steal a diamond from a world destroyed and a weird cult to sell." River shrugged. "The usual."

Amy laughed. "That's a good girl."

The air around her started to lift and Amy knew what was coming.

"Wait, Melody," Amy said urgently. "You planned Jack to steal that ship...that means you knew I would find myself here. How?"

River smiled at her, but it looked pained and sad, much like her own. "Spoilers." She uttered. "Goodbye mother."

* * *

Amy watched Jack enter the TARDIS with a childlike wonder. She grinned as his eyes drifted towards Rose trying and failing to teach the Doctor to dance, despite his protests that he knew how to.

"Close the door, will you!" The Doctor said cheekily as Rose pulled back with a huff. "Your ship's about to blow up- there's gonna be a draft."

Jack turned and quickly shut the door.

"Welcome to the TARDIS." The Doctor welcomed.

"Much bigger on the inside." Jack pointed out.

"You'd better be." The Doctor narrowed his eyes at him and Amy swatted his arm. He grinned at her. She shook her head at him exasperatedly and stepped up to the console.

"I haven't exactly been in the best mood today." She announced. The three people surrounded her scoffed. Amy rolled her eyes at them. "Yeah, yeah- but I'm sorry. And I think I know how to make it right."

"How's that?" Rose asked curiously, leaning against the banister. Amy's hand drifted over a lever. Double checking it was the correct one with the Doctor- who gave her an encouraging nod- she pulled it and lively music filled the air. She grinned at them.

"Dance party!"

Jack and Rose chuckled.

The Doctor gasped. "Rose! I've just remembered!"

"What?" Rose asked him.

The Doctor smiles and snaps his fingers to the beat. "I can dance! I can dance!"

Rose grinned and ran up to him. The pair danced and twirled around the console room. Jack approached Amy and outstretched his hand.

"May I have this dance?" He asked cheekily.

Amy frowned at him. The man was a wildcard. He had abandoned them in the station and while he did come back to help them, his thought patterns were pretty erratic. Not even River trusted him.

But it was a long day and all Amy wanted to do was to pretend everything okay. So she allowed herself to grab Jack's hand and grin at him.

"You may."

* * *

 **A/N:** Okay, so I lied in the previous chapter. Here's some River Song and mother/daughter dynamics for you! I'm nearing the end for this fic. It's bittersweet to think about.

 **Skythebioarch:** Here you go! I hope you enjoyed it as much as the previous chapter.

 **Bwburke94:** Legends of Tomorrow is _amyzing._ One could say it's _legendary_! Bad puns aside, I really enjoyed it. I agree the Rory not being Rory thing is a little confusing, which is why I go around calling Mick _Heatwave_ to make it easier ^^ Poor Rory though, I can't believe Vandal heartlessly killed Amy and Anthony in 2166 like that! (;))

 **Thedarkpokemonmaster:** I have other plans for New Earth. You'll see what I mean ;3

Guys, a hundred reviews! Thank you all so much, you make it worth it! Shout out to **Aka-Baka Hoshi, Bwburke94, Thedarkpokemonmaster** for being my constants and everybody who is following and liking this story!

So that's the end of _The Doctor Dances!_ Just so you guys know, this is one of my favourite stories. Ever. It makes me miss Moffat even more even though he's not gone yet (although a bunch of people are jumping for joy- mainly RTD fangirls- which I admit is a little grating) Anyways, moving onto _The Forbidden Forest_!

See you then!


	36. The Forbidden Forest

_The Forbidden Forest_

* * *

 _It's not even light out._

* * *

The next day, Amy was sitting on the jump seat in the console room, a novel in her hands. She heard the faint tapping of footsteps on the grate and the seat beside her dipped with weight. She looked up to see Rose looking at her curiously.

"Morning." She greeted with a smile, taking off her newly purchased reading glasses.

"Morning." Rose grinned back, leaning over to see the cover of the book. "What you reading?"

Amy held up the book so Rose could get a better look at the cover. "Some book called ' _Alone In Uncharted Territory'._ It's quite good." When Rose leaned over to snatch the book, Amy pulled her hand back, poking her tongue out. "No way, blondie, I found it first."

Rose pouted before laughing and leaning back in the chair.

"Amazing, isn't it?"

"What is?" Amy asked the girl, flicking to another page of the book.

"All this...the travelling and stuff." Rose beamed. Amy closed the book and turned to see her friend grinning widely. "'S perfect. I wouldn't change it for the world. I never want to leave."

Amy smiled softly at her but said nothing. She looked down at her lap, deep in thought. Amy didn't know what she wanted anymore. She wanted Rory back but she didn't feel like she could settle down anymore. It was all confusing and it was starting to take a toll on her.

Her subconscious kept telling her that, when it all boiled down, she was still the broken child reeling from a false promise.

"Oh, you two are already here." The Doctor noted with surprise as he stepped into the console room. His voice snapped Amy out of her thoughts and she looked up at him. He snapped his fingers and pointed at the book on her lap with a grin.

"Good book, that." He said and Amy laughed.

"I know."

"Where's Jack?" Rose asked in confusion, standing up and tilting her head in search of their newest companion.

"Right here." A brusque American tone announced as Jack came into view with his usual grin. Rose smiled shyly at him.

"How are you finding the TARDIS?" She asked him brightly. Amy frowned at her. She was being a bit _too_ welcoming of the con artist and, judging by the jealous expression on the Doctor's face, he wasn't exactly pleased by it.

Jack exhaled loudly. "Honestly, it's a little daunting, but it's amazing all the same." The Doctor beamed with pride as he always did when someone complimented the TARDIS. "By the way, how'd you manage to get it to be bigger on the inside?"

"All you need to know is that it's Time Lord technology." The Doctor shrugged as he started working on the console. Jack scoffed.

"A Time Lord? What, do you just go around announcing that to anybody?" He asked. Amy chuckled.

"Of course not." The Doctor snapped indignantly.

"I'm just saying." Jack griped. "I mean- tall, dark and mysterious? That screams pompous."

Amy and Rose snickered at the Doctor's misfortune while the man himself merely grunted at Jack.

A shrill alarm pierced the air and before Amy could question it, she was flung onto the grating as the ship sparked and shook uncontrollably. She hissed when Rose crashed into her.

"What's happening?" Jack demanded. She looked up to see the Doctor dancing around the console wildly, trying to calm the situation.

"I don't know!" He responded briskly, continuing to twist levers and push buttons. Another bout of sparks forced him back and Amy had to duck her head to avoid getting singed. The TARDIS groaned in pain but Amy couldn't figure out why.

"Doctor!" Amy snapped. "Do something!"

"I'm trying!" The Doctor snapped back, his movements becoming more manic and desperate. "You try driving for once, I'd like to see you complain then!"

"Shut up and get to work!" Rose yelled at him. The girl slowly pulled herself up despite the rocking and helped Amy to her feet.

"Got it!" The Doctor yelled and pulling a lever. The whole room felt like it had slammed into the ground and sent them crashing into the grating again. The room plunged into darkness. Silence filled the room, no one brave enough to break it. Finally, Amy pulled herself to her feet and helped Rose up.

"That was...unexpected." Jack commented unhelpfully. The Doctor ignored him and approached them.

"You two okay?" He asked.

"No lasting damage." Rose sighed, looking down at herself. Amy had a few bruises, but felt fine otherwise.

"We're fine." She reassured him. He nodded and turned to survey the damage, pointedly ignoring Jack.

"Is it..." Rose hesitated before mustering up the courage to speak her thoughts. "Dead?"

"No, no..." The Doctor said. "Whatever happened took a lot out of her. She's just recharging."

"Good, that." Jack muttered. Amy rolled her eyes and moved towards the screen to figured out where they had landed. She frowned at the dead screen.

" _That,_ on the other hand, is dead." The Doctor muttered sardonically. "Guess we're just going to have to find out where we are without technology."

"Goodie, my first trip." Jack quipped as he followed the Doctor out the TARDIS doors, Rose at their heels. Amy looked at the sleeping TARDIS one last time. The scene reminded her a bit too much of when they had landed in the bubble universe. Shaking her head, she quickly followed her three companions out the door.

She gasped at the sight.

They had landed in some kind of clearing. Surrounding them were tall trees basking from the coming sunlight. Wisps of golden light trailed around the trunk, slithering up and down and creating a picturesque scene. Somewhere in the distance, she could make out the distinct sound of a rushing stream. Leaves littered the ground and a gentle breeze brushed past them. A green aura seemed to encapsulate the entire forest.

"'S beautiful." Rose gasped. Amy could only nod in agreement. "Where are we?"

"Dunno, never been here before." He shrugged. "Although..." He sniffed the air. "It's definitely not Earth."

Rose grinned and wrapped her hand around his arm, pulling him closer to her. "What, you're telling me you haven't been everywhere in 900 years?"

"Of course I haven't!" He grinned back. "What's the fun in that? Knowing everything? The universe is always shrinking and expanding and I want to see every last detail of it. That's why I keep travelling."

"Until it becomes a backyard." Amy muttered quietly.

"I can't pinpoint the location." Jack frowned, staring down at his Vortex Manipulator. He shrugged, snapped the case shut and grinned at them salaciously. "Guess I'll be joining you."

"Can we explore?" Rose suggested, practically bouncing up and down. The Doctor looked down at her. "Come on, if this isn't Earth, then it _must_ be a different planet. The only other one I've been to was Justicia and that was when Chase was still around!"

"Who's Chase?" Jack asked curiously.

"Old friend," The Doctor explained. "Gone now. Fine, we can explore. I want to find out where we are anyway."

Rose bounced on her feet victoriously before dragging the Doctor away. Amy turned to follow them but was distracted by the sound of rustling leaves. Turning around, she saw a silhouette duck away from a few bushes and out of sight.

"Coming Red?" Jack asked, turning to look at her quizzically. Amy frowned at the spot the silhouette had been. Her mind warred over the possibilities. A part of her brain told her to tell the Doctor and Rose about the person, but a bigger part of her wanted to investigate by herself.

Finally, she made her mind up and turned to Jack.

"You go. I have to get something from the TARDIS." She lied. Jack raised a single eyebrow.

"You seriously expect me to believe that?" He asked her incredulously.

"Yes." Amy replied coolly. "It's the cover story you get, and the story you're going to tell the Doctor and Rose."

"What gives you the agency to go wandering off on an unknown alien planet all by yourself? We don't even know what the dangers are!"

"Oh, trust me, this isn't my first time." Amy grinned at him.

Jack frowned. "Even so, I should come with you." He grinned licentiously. "You never know. You could need an _escort."_

"Uh-huh." Amy replied, already drifting off. "I can take care of myself Jack. Go with the Doctor and Rose."

"You don't trust me." He said.

Amy stopped and look at him. She didn't even bother to lie.

"No, I don't."

"Nether does the Doctor."

"Yup." Amy replied. Jack stood there looking at her, a dangerous look in his eyes. Amy didn't doubt that the man had killed before and would when needs be. What he didn't know what that Amy had killed too. Finally, he sighed and looked away.

"Fine." He snapped. "But be quick with whatever it is you're doing."

"No promises." Amy grinned as she delved deeper into the woods, anxious to catch up to the silhouette. "And for god's sake, tell the Doctor not to fuss like a mother chicken!"

Jack watched her go before turning around and running after the Doctor and Rose. The two were chatting away, barely noticing his absence in the first place.

Rose laughed and something the Doctor said and turned around as if she was looking for someone- probably Amy. The Doctor followed her gaze and frowned.

"Where's Amy?"

Jack jerked his thumb back the way they came. "Red had to get something she forgot. Told us to go ahead- said she'll catch up."

The Doctor looked anxious, his eyes drifting over him and back to the path they had climbed down. "Maybe we should-"

"Did I mention?" Jack interrupted. "She said- and I quote directly- 'for god's sake, tell the Doctor not to fuss like a mother chicken!'"

"That sounds like Amy." Rose laughed. The Doctor huffed and dragged the Doctor by the arm. "Come on, this isn't the first time she's wandered off."

The Doctor sighed and relented, following the blonde down the path. Jack turned back the direction they came, wondering if he had made the right decision. Shaking his head, he turned and chased after the dynamic duo once again, his gun ready if needs be.

* * *

Amy wandered down the path, anxious to catch up to the silhouette but slowing slightly to admire her surroundings. It was truly beautiful. The gold flecks of light danced around the trees, casting shadows on the bark. The air was pleasantly warm despite the rising sun and the leaves crunching under her trainers made the scene even more surreal.

The only thing that was missing, however, was Rory.

Amy sighed. She had no time to dwell on those thoughts. That didn't mean she didn't.

The sound of a snapping twig caught her attention. Whipping her head around, she caught sight of the silhouette running away from her.

"Hey!" She tried. "Come back, I just want to talk."

The person didn't stop. Of course, they never did. Amy huffed, looked around one last time and chased after him.

* * *

Rose let go of the Doctor's arm to run down the path. She had seen something jump up from the stream and was eager to find out what it was. The Doctor sighed incredulously and Jack laughed at her but she didn't care. She loved alien planets, the different feel of the ground and the way the air was slightly different but barely noticeable. The only other alien planet she had been to was the prison Justicia. She didn't count Woman Wept as a planet, more like a second home.

She peered down into the water, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she tried to look for any movement. The Doctor joined her.

"I don't know what you're looking for." He admitted.

"I know I saw something." Rose swore, narrowing her eyes. "It must be hiding. Go away, you're probably scaring it off."

"Me?" He squeaked, affronted, narrowing his eyes at her. "Why is it my fault?"

"Usually is." Rose said matter-of-factly, poking her tongue out at him. The Doctor smiled that soft smile of his that always made her heart skip a beat, before peering into the water again.

"Er...guys?" Jack called out. Rose turned to look at him in confusion and let out a squeak of surprise.

"Not now Jack." The Doctor snapped, looking into the water. "I think I see something..."

"Doctor..." Rose tried, raising her hands.

"Not you too, Rose." The Doctor sighed. The sound of a reloading gun caused Rose to straighten. She saw the Doctor straighten from her periphery vision. He turned to look at the woman staring stoically back at them with a menacing looking gun in her hand.

"Ah."

* * *

Amy swatted a tree branch away as she continued her pursuit. Whoever it was that she was chasing, they weren't stopping. Adrenaline spurred her on and she ran faster in an attempt to catch the strange person. She didn't know why, but she felt he had some answers to what was happening. Amy Pond never ignored her instincts.

The shadow suddenly turned a sharp corner. Amy followed him and quickly skidded on her feet in an attempt to stop herself from crashing. Staring right at her was a small group of people- some more alien looking than others- staring right at her with guns in their hands. She slowly raised her hands. A man approached her, his gun trained on her. Amy knew she wouldn't be able to pull off an escape.

They wore all kinds of clothes, some shirts and dresses, others chainmail. The man who had approached her was clean shaven, had thick brown hair and wore a shirt with a robe over it. Something about him unnerved Amy.

The people spoke in furious whispers and the head of a woman poked out from behind the man's shoulders. She must have been the person Amy was following. The woman's face was dirty, her hair mussed and her clothes ragged. She studied Amy curiously before turning and stalking away. Amy watched her climb down a hill and gasped.

Standing high was some sort of temple. The white paint shone in the morning light as it stood majestically on top of another hill. It twisted and swirled that Amy was reminded of the Temple of Heaven. She suddenly wished she took Jack up on his offer to be an escort, she was way out of her league.

Sighing, she raised her hands up and offer them a small smile, deciding to try an old tactic.

"I come in peace?"

 **A/N:** Team TARDIS manage to get themselves in trouble, as per usual. I have nothing much to say other than I'm compiling all the one shot interludes in between chapters in the form of another story called **Snapshots.** It's already up with the first chapter and will be updated more regularly during the end of this novel and the start of the next one.

 **Bwburke94:** The Lone Centurion exists in an aborted timeline so, technically, he doesn't exist in the original timeline. Don't fret, I have surprises popping up soon!

Thanks for leaving word, I'll see you guys soon!


	37. Prisoners

_Prisoners_

* * *

 **WARNING: Quite graphic torture (I think.). Turn away if that sort of thing makes you uncomfortable.**

* * *

Amy's eyes darted between the tense group in front of her. They were having a silent conversation. The man she assumed was the leader was watching her closely, gun in his hand. Her eyes drifted towards the temple. There was something...off about it.

"Who are you?" The man asked her. Amy turned to give him her attention.

"No one of importance." She replied. The man raised an eyebrow and stalked closer. Amy looked down nervously at his gun.

"I'll ask you again." He said more impatiently. "Who are you? Are you with them?"

"With who?" Amy asked with a raised eyebrow. The man studied her, his eyes darting across her face and back again in rapid succession. Finally, he stopped and relaxed slightly.

"The traitors."

* * *

"Move." The woman ordered curtly, digging the head of her gun into Rose's back. Rose tried not to show her nervousness show. The Doctor's face was calm and Jack looked agitated. His fingers kept flexing towards his waistband where Rose could only guess his gun was hiding.

The woman was quite pretty. She had long blonde hair and piercing grey eyes that seemed to search her soul. Rose tried to avoid eye contact the few times her gun wasn't digging into her back. However, her face was dirty with mud and her clothes were torn. She looked like she hadn't eaten in days.

"Keep moving." She ordered again, pushing them forward.

"Where are we going?" The Doctor asked.

"Just shut up and move." The woman snapped.

"Oh, that's nice," The Doctor quipped, "I try to engage in a little friendly chat and I get shut off."

"Doctor..." Rose looked at him warily. The woman sighed.

"Just...keep moving." She sounded defeated for a second but it quickly disappeared. They walked for a few more minutes before a building came to view. It was old, decrepit even. The windows were broken and nature was reclaiming the land.

Rose was alarmed by the sound of a loading gun.

"What the hell, Sonya!" A female voice exclaimed. Suddenly, a girl no older than Rose with hazel eyes and brown hair landed into front of her, making her jump. "Who the hell are these people?"

"Not the time, Rosa!" The woman who had captured them, Sonya, growled. "Go back to guarding the perimeter."

"Rose and Rosa." Jack snickered. The two females shot him a glare. The con man quickly cleared his throat. "Sorry."

"Woah!" A man exclaimed. Rose turned to see a man who looked the same age as Jack walked up to them with a bag over his shoulder. He had dusty light brown hair and startlingly green eyes. "What's going on here?"

" _Hello."_ Jack grinned salaciously. "Am I in Heaven right now?"

The man ignored him and walked up to Sonya, pushing the gun off Rose's shoulder and holding it in his hand, shaking it furiously.

"What do you think you're doing, Sonya?" He yelled. The woman stared at him unflinchingly.

"They were in our territory." She replied simply. "I'm doing this to protect us, Caleb."

" _This,"_ the man known as Caleb spat, gesturing towards them. "This is _not_ safe. This is just fulfilling your own vendetta."

Sonya's eyes turned stormy then. "Don't you dare. You know I don't let my feelings cloud my emotions."

"Yeah?" The man laughed drily, turning to look at Rose. Rose stiffened under the scrutinising glare. "Well, she looks _awfully_ familiar like-"

"Shut up!" Sonya boomed, her voice cracking like a whip. She looked horrified. "Don't you dare say that!"

"Actually, now that you mention it-" Rosa began.

Sonya cut her off with a groan. "Not you too, Rosa!"

"We're not stooping down to their level, Sonya. Release them." Caleb ordered.

"But-"

"Oh my god, just listen to me for once!" He yelled at her. Sonya stiffened then.

"Fine." She spat at him, turning to glare at the three. Rose shrunk back at the glare. "But when this all blows up in our faces, don't say I didn't warn you."

With that, she skulked off after snatching the bag off Caleb's shoulder. Caleb sighed and rubbed his temple. Free from the threat of a gun pointed at her, Rose moved to the Doctor's side. The Doctor gripped her hand tightly and she shot him a reassuring smile.

Caleb and Rosa were whispering to each other and Rose couldn't help but notice the resemblance. She noticed Rosa roll her eyes at something Caleb said.

"Big brother, in case you haven't noticed, I can take care of myself." She said, sucking her lips in and giving him a cheeky smile. Caleb laughed and kissed her forehead.

"There's no getting around being worried over your sister." He replied. Rosa softened then.

"I know." She said so softly Rose almost didn't catch her comment. She sighed and turned, giving them a curt nod and walked off.

"I'm sorry about what happened." Caleb sighed and Rose turned her attention back to him. The man looked sheepish, which Rose found cute. "Sonya has a good heart, but she can be so goddamn stubborn sometimes. I can tell you guys are good people." He looked at Jack, who grinned charmingly at him. Caleb looked flustered for a second. "Well, almost all of you."

"Why exactly did she point a gun at us and force us here?" The Doctor asked, ignoring the whole exchange between their new friend and their flirtatious companion. Caleb sighed and rubbed his neck.

"It's a long story and it's not really safe out here." He gestured towards the hole where Rose assumed a door had once been. "Come in, make yourselves comfortable."

* * *

The man, who called himself Archer, had apologised profusely when he realised Amy wasn't one of the "traitors" and was actually an off-worlder. He led her down the hill, his group following closely behind them. He seemed nice enough, but there was something that made Amy uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry again." Archer apologised for what was probably the hundredth time. "One can never be quite sure with the traitors and their spies."

"What is it with these traitors?" Amy asked curiously. Archer sighed heavily.

"It's hard to divulge information. I'm still not quite sure who you are." He explained. Amy narrowed her eyes at that. Archer didn't elaborate and walked away, pulling out some sort of key card. Amy couldn't make anything else out as she was suddenly dragged backwards.

She turned around to see a scrawny looking man grinning sadistically at her.

"You smell pretty." He whispered, gripping her arms tightly. Amy barely spared him a glance, yanking her arms away and walking off before he could see how unnerved she truly felt. Archer had finished with whatever it was he was doing and was beckoning for her to go through the door.

Amy paused just before she went through the door, and frowned. She could've sworn she had just seen the door flicker.

"Is something wrong?" Archer asked her. Amy shook her head. She couldn't draw suspicion. She didn't trust these people. For all she knew, they could be murderers.

For some reason, that seemed like the only viable option.

"No, everything's fine." She forced a smile onto her face before walking through the door.

The room was very spacious. Murals and tapestries hung from the walls and a large dome shaped skylight allowed plenty of sunshine to leak into the room. Multiple stairs and doors twisted around the spiral temple and Amy could see people shuffling and talking in hushed whispers. She couldn't help but notice the bracelets they all had on their arms.

"Ah, Archer," A deep voice snapped her out of her thoughts. A striking looking man walked up to the little group with a charming smile. His gaze turned towards Amy and eyes crinkled in confusion. "Who's this?"

"An off-worlder." Archer explained. "Clementine stumbled upon her and we just met earlier."

The man nodded and turned to look at Amy again with a charming smile. "Well, it's nice to meet you, whoever you are."

Amy nodded curtly. "What is this place?"

"I'm sorry, but we do not divulge information with strangers." The man said with narrowed eyes. Amy noticed Archer shift uncomfortably from the corner of her eye. The man turned to him and the rest of the small group.

"Well? You are all dismissed!" He snapped. With that, they all dispersed into different places as if this was a drill.

She turned back to the man with a stoic expression. His face lightened and he held out a hand. "Where are my manners? I am Carver. You are?"

Amy warily shook his hand. "Melody. Melody Song."

Carver smiled. "Well, Miss Song, if you could please wait here as I call for somebody to accompany you around the base. You must understand we cannot let you wander by yourself while we make accommodations for you."

Amy frowned. "Wait, accommodations? I didn't-" But the man had already walked away.

Amy sighed and looked up just in time to see the messy girl looking back at her. She had blonde hair and striking hazel eyes. She had a striking resemblance to Rose. Archer had called her...Clementine?

She noticed other people watching her too. They all looked as dirty and tired as each other and, as Amy noticed, they all had those strange bands.

"Please go." A timid voice whispered. Amy jumped and spun around to see it was Clementine who had spoken. She looked extremely tired and scared. Amy approached her slowly. She didn't want to scare her off.

"What's wrong?" She asked gently, but Clementine just shook her head.

"It's not safe here. _Leave._ " Clementine said softly.

Amy was about to reply but a splitting headache stopped her. She fell back, hands on her temples and millions of images swimming through her head, both past and present. She saw her Doctor, River and Rory and then she saw her current Doctor, Rose, Jack and Chase. Then she saw the future. Earth was a wasteland, then she saw Chase and two unfamiliar women running from something, then she saw a woman with fiery ginger hair whipping across her face as she her face as she stood in the heart of the universe.

Then she saw Psycho staring at her with a grin. Suddenly, she was sent crashing back into reality.

"Don't you see?" Clementine pressed. "This is why they want you. They know what you can do, they can sense it. You have to _run."_

Amy was about to reply but she was distracted by the flickering of the tapestry. Suddenly the aged paint and murals disappeared and was replaced by the cold grey metal of a ship. She gasped and jumped back as it flickered back to the wall of a temple.

"It's a perception filter." Amy gasped. Clementine squeaked and scurried away and Amy turned to see the creepy scrawny figure run up to her, terror in his eyes.

"Pretty girl must run." He said in a loud whisper, gripping her arms tightly and shaking her roughly. Amy didn't know how to respond. "Carver bad. Pretty girl must run."

Amy pulled away and took a few steps back, unsure of how to respond. A piercing sound filled the air and the next thing she knew she was splattered with blood. She screamed at the gaping hole in the creepy guy's head. His eyes rolled back into his sockets and he fell to the ground.

Carver was looking at the body emotionlessly. He walked up to Amy and before she could respond, knocked her out with the butt of his gun.

* * *

The Doctor and Jack were going over something with Caleb. Well, it looked more like Jack flirting with Caleb every chance he got and the Doctor getting annoyed by him and Caleb's flustering. Rose smiled softly. She didn't exactly have anything useful to supply to whatever it was they were debating, so she decided to hold back.

Then she noticed Sonya in the corner of the room, twisting and turning something in her hand and looking anxious. Feeling sorry for the woman despite her holding a gun in her face, Rose walked up to her.

"Hey." She said as softly as she could. Despite her efforts, Sonya still jumped but her expression soured when she made eye contact.

"Oh, it's you." She scowled, avoiding eye contact. Rose sight and sat down next to her. Sonya didn't look please. "What do you want?"

"To talk. It's not easy when people are talking about stuff you don't understand." Rose said sheepishly. Sonya's expression softened slightly at that and she looked over at the men.

"Yeah, it is." She said softly. Rose followed her gaze and noticed she was gazing fondly at Caleb. Knowing it wasn't her place, but never one to let go of gossip, Rose turned back to Sonya with a sly grin.

"So...you and Caleb. Are you two...?" Rose trailed off and Sonya's eyes snapped toward hers, looking absolutely mortified.

"What?!" She hissed. "Gross, no!" She shuddered slightly at the thought and Rose couldn't help the laugh that spilled off her lips. Sonya scowled at her but soon she was chuckling too. She shook her head at the thought. "No, we're just good friends, the pair of us. He's like my brother in more ways than one."

Rose's thoughts drifted towards Amy. The ginger haired Scot was like an older sister for Rose and she appreciated that. Then her thought drifted to Chase, who was like her brother, always up for a laugh and ready to play with her whenever it was a slightly boring day on the TARDIS. It had been Chase who had comforted her when she had nightmares of their time imprisoned on Justicia. She smiled fondly at the thoughts.

"Yeah, I know the feeling." Rose agreed.

"Yeah?" Sonya sounded surprised. Rose nodded, her tongue poking between her teeth as she smiled at the woman. Sonya smiled back before she avoided eye contact again. "By the way, I'm sorry for...you know...holding a gun to your face and all."

"'S okay. Not the first time it's happened to me. I think you're the first person who's ever apologised for it though." The two girls shared a giggle.

The Doctor suddenly roared and Rose jumped in surprise. She turned to see him advancing menacingly on Jack, who was stuttering wildly, eyes wide with fear.

"What on Earth..." Rose muttered, standing up and moving closer.

"And you just decided to let her go?" The Doctor spat at Jack. His eyes glowered venomously.

"I-I didn't know what we had walked into! She _insisted_. It wasn't my fault!" Jack stuttered.

"Yeah, so you always say." The Doctor yelled, moving away from Jack suddenly and flipping a table over. "Stupid apes, I always pick the stupid ones!"

"Doctor!" Rose gasped. "What the hell do you think you're saying?"

The Doctor suddenly turned to her and gripped her shoulders, rage and fear festering in his pupils.

"Rose, there's another colony out there, and they could be torturing Amy right now."

Rose felt her stomach plummet.

* * *

Amy groaned, a headache already forming. Her vision was blurry but she could just make out the faint silhouette of a person. She waited until her vision cleared, and realised that the silhouette was Carver who was smiling down at her, whip in his hands.

"Good morning, Miss Melody." He said sadistically. "I hope you find your quarters most comforting."

"I could do with some room service." Amy quipped, reaching up to rub her head only to find her hands and feet were pinned down by some metal clamps. Carver chuckled at her.

"You can just tell me." He said. "Tell me that they sent you."

"Who?" Amy asked confused, but Carver wasn't listening. He started pacing the room anxiously.

"I told them that everything was on schedule, they'd have the data they needed for the invasion soon enough, but do they listen? _No._ For an evil race who's been playing the long game, they are really not that patient."

"What the hell are you babbling about?" Amy asked in confusion. Carver stopped, his eyes flared with fury. He raised the whip and lashed out at her. Amy screamed at the pain.

"Do not speak when I am talking." He hissed. "Now apologise."

"I'm not your pet." Amy gritted through her teeth despite the throbbing pain. "Go to hell."

"Not good enough!" Carver yelled and whipped her again. Amy screamed at the pain. The sound of thundering footsteps filled her ears and Archer came skidding through the door. His eyes widened in shock.

"What the hell is going on here!" Archer exclaimed, looking down at Amy's prone form, and then turning to Carver. "What are you doing?"

"What we agreed to." Carver shrugged casually. Archer looked horrified.

"I did _not_ sign up to you holding people hostage and- and torturing them!"

"Oh yeah? What did you think all those prisoners were for then?" Carver cooed.

"Those are different! They're wildfire, they're _infected."_ Archer tried.

"Both things that I told you." Carver grinned evilly. Archer blanched and started to back away.

"Sonya and Caleb were right. They didn't run away because they were infected, did they? They ran away because of _you."_

Carver grinned, and pulled Archer close by the hips, straddling him.

"Such a shame." He muttered. "You were one of my favourites too." Then he pulled Archer into a deep and passionate kiss, which certainly caught Amy and Archer off guard. Suddenly, Carver pulled back and shot him in the head with his alien gun. Archer's limp body fell to the ground and Amy tried to contain the scream that erupted in her throat.

"Such a shame." Carver repeated again. He turned to Amy and flipped a switch, an unnerving smile on his face. Electricity coursed through Amy's veins and she screamed. "Don't worry, it won't kill you. It'll just be _very_ painful."

That was when Amy recognised him. He was the man from an earlier premonition. That was the last thought she had before she blacked out from the pain and collapsed.

* * *

She found herself floating in some dark void. The clinking of a saucer drew her attention and the next thing Amy knew, she was standing in front of a small table, Psycho sitting with a coffee cup in his hands.

"Would you like some coffee?"

* * *

"Doctor, it's useless, Carver's deranged." Sonya tried. "For all we know, he could be stripping her flesh apart while singing the Bad Wolf nursery rhyme!"

Rose paled at the thought and tried not to throw up.

"It doesn't matter, we're going after her." He said with conviction, scouring around the room in search of another useful weapon.

Sonya threw her hands into the air in exasperation. "This is crazy! There's only six of us! Carver has his own miniature brainwashed army at his command. _We'll only be getting ourselves killed."_

The Doctor paused and turned to her with a cold expression. "Could you do me a favour and just shut up?" He then turned around to continue his hunt before she could respond.

Rose was about to comfort him when she noticed Jack slip out the door. Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, she quickly slipped out after him and noticed him running through the wood.

"Jack?" She called out in confusion. The ex Time Agent stopped and Rose jogged to catch up to him. "What's going on? Where are you-"

Jack turned around and pointed his gun at her. Rose stopped jogging and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Stay away Rose." Jack warned. "I _will_ shoot you."

"What's going on?" Rose asked in confusion. "This is a joke, right?"

"Why would I be joking?" The man looked annoyed with her. "You know what, never mind. I'm getting out of here, that's all."

Rose paled. "You're what?"

"You heard me." Jack grit through his teeth. "I'm leaving. I'm zapping out of this place. No way in hell am I entering some kind of civil war for a stranger I've only known for a day."

"But..." Rose stuttered. "You have your wrist thing-"

"Vortex Manipulator." Jack corrected.

"Whatever," Rose rolled her eyes. "Why didn't you just teleport in the house?"

"I told you, Rose, I couldn't get a proper fix on the coordinates." Jack explained. "Who knows where I'd end up if I randomly teleported now. Luckily, I have the TARDIS base code numerals saved, so I can zap out of here from there."

"But the TARDIS is recharging." Rose tried.

"I can still teleport out of it, Rosie." Jack said patronisingly. "And you're going to turn right around and not say anything like a good little girl."

"I can't let ya." Rose said with conviction. She let out a small, hysterical chuckle. "I'm not going to let ya."

Jack laughed hysterically. "What is it with you three and your damn hero complexes?!" He yelled. Rose wondered how the Doctor hadn't heard him. "Well, if you're not going to cooperate, I have no other choice."

Rose didn't like that tone. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, wouldn't I?" Jack asked, loading his gun. "You hardly know me, Rose. I'm just a stranger. What makes you so sure?"

Rose shivered in fear, grasping at straws. "But that's a squareness gun. It only cuts holes through doors and opens them. Like the sonic."

Jack rolled his eyes. "I told you before, it's triple-enfolded. It's also a _sonic_ _cannon_." Jack pointed the gun at her again. "Goodbye Rose. You were quite pretty."

Rose closed her eyes, praying the Doctor would arrive soon. She should never have trusted Jack.

* * *

Amy looked the man up and down and looked around for a way to escape.

"Amy, it's hopeless," Psycho said with an eye roll. "You're never going to escape that room. You should just succumb to my will and let me free."

Amy's eyes flickered towards him. "What's your name anyway?"

"Noah." Psycho said with a salacious smile. Amy frowned. The name was the same one on the TARDIS monitor after the incident with the Slitheen. Pushing the thought away, Amy slammed her hands onto the table.

"Well, _Noah,_ I don't know if you're aware, but this isn't the first time I've been tortured and imprisoned." She spat. "And I _will_ escape."

And it was true. Because she was Amy Pond. She would find a way.

"Do you really think you're capable of that?" Noah asked curiously. Amy smiled wryly.

"We'll see, won't we?"

* * *

Rose heard the gun go off but nothing happened.

"What the hell!" She heard Jack exclaim. Opening her eyes she saw a man pinning Jack against a tree. Whoever he was, he had just saved her life.

"Stand down." The man ground out.

"Who the hell are you?" Jack hissed, trying to wriggly free. Rose didn't know what to do; she was rooted to the spot.

"Rory Williams." The man introduced himself.

That was the last thing Rose remembered before something hard whacked her on the top of the head and darkness enveloped her vision.

* * *

 _To be continued in The Great Escape.._ _._

* * *

 **A/N:** Whoo! Probably my most controversial chapter _ever_. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. And yes, it's Rory! Gorgeous Rory, fantastic Rory, funny Rory, the Last Centurion here when his wife is in dire need! It's poetic, don't you think?

I should probably explain Jack this chapter. I always believed that it took Jack a while to be reformed and to become the Jack we know of the rest of the series. He was fair since his first appearance, yes, but you were never quite sure whose side he was really on. Like I said through Amy and the Doctor, Jack's a wildcard at the moment. Don't worry, he'll be put in his place ;3

As for character appearances! Carver is based off of Benedict Cumberbatch, Caleb is based off of Luke Mitchell, Rosa off Emma Watson and Sonya was based off of Jennifer Morrison. Oh, and Archer is based off of Tim Riley! Yes, I go in depth with my character profiles, even for the red shirts o3o

Also, just imagine Clementine as a cross between Jennifer Morrsion and Billie Piper.

We're reaching the close for this fic, which is really bittersweet. It's been my project for nine months! I want to take some time off this series after this fic and focus on another story " _Time Can Be Rewritten"_ for a while. Cause I've been dying to toy around with the idea and write about it!

See you guys soon!


	38. Plans

_Plans_

* * *

Jack pointed the gun at Rose. He watched as the blonde squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe he would have taken pity or felt remorseful if this wasn't such a ludicrous situation. It wasn't his fault Red couldn't quench her investigative thirst. Instead of pity or remorse, he felt anger. Anger directed towards these mysterious three travellers who were always getting into trouble.

He pointed the gun at the scared blonde and fired. All too late did he notice the shadow that leapt from the bushes just as his finger pulled the trigger. The laser bullet ricochet off course and hit a branch instead. Jack found himself being pinned to a tree, and not in a good way.

"What the hell?!"

"Stand down." The mysterious, yet handsome, stranger gritted through his teeth keeping him in place. Jack had to admit, he was remarkably strong for someone of his build. A loud crash captured the man's attention and his eyes widened considerably. Jack tilted his head to get a better look and saw that Rose had collapsed by a blunt hit from a fallen tree branch. Oh well, her loss.

"Rose!" The man cried out in horror. So his handsome stranger knew the girl. That made things a lot easier. Using the lack of attention as an advantage, Jack raised his fist and punched his accoster in the stomach, winding him. He then shoved the man out of the way.

He was about to bolt when something tight wrapped around his body. With a rough jerk, Jack was sent crashing to the ground, his skull thudding painfully on the ground. He groaned in pain, his vision blurry. The only thing he could identify was the leather clad Time Lord looking down at him. Jack gulped.

The man looked like he was ready to kill him.

* * *

Amy woke up to Carver staring at her creepily. Her body ached and the stench of burnt clothes choked the air. She tried to move her hands but they were still held down by clamps.

"Did you sleep well, Miss Song?" He asked darkly. It took Amy a second to realise he was talking to her. She didn't respond. The man tilted her head so she was looking him in the eye. "When will you tell me what your real name is?"

"How do you know this isn't my real name?" Amy challenged. Carver's eyes darkened in anger and his grip on her chin tightened.

"Because it's very obvious." He replied bitterly. Suddenly his grip relaxed and his eyes widened marginally. "There's something in your eye."

A bolt of fear ran through Amy. She hadn't heard that phrase in ten years.

"What?" She gaped. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

The man stumbled back slightly, grinning maniacally. "Oh, you are something else." He held up his hand and Amy's eyes widened when he saw what he was holding. Her gold 'A' necklace, charred from the electricity but otherwise intact.

"Give that back." She threatened, trying to keep the tremor from her voice. "That's not yours."

"It _is_ a lovely necklace." Carver mused, snapping his fingers. "All pretty and gold."

The wall on the other side of the room started to open. Amy stared in disbelief as a giant incinerator was revealed, the great harsh flames roaring to life.

"What's that for?" Amy asked hesitantly. Suddenly it clicked and she looked at Carver pleadingly. "No..."

"No?" He repeated mockingly, tilting his head slightly. He did that a lot. It was almost as if he was studying. His fake sympathetic smile morphed into a malicious grin. "Too bad."

He threw her necklace into the incinerator. Amy watched in horror as her beloved necklace melted in front of her.

"Are you going to tell me now?" Carver asked her ruthlessly. Amy remained silent. The thick silence that filled the room was tense and was only broken by Carver's sigh. "Fine. It would have been easier if you just told me but I guess it can't be helped."

There was a click and the clamps slid back. Amy rubbed her wrists to soothe the pain when a bag of clothing was thrown onto her lap. She looked at him questioningly.

"From this moment forward, you are my slave." Carver said professionally, sliding his hand into his pocket. "And if you plan on escaping, don't." He grinned maliciously. "Not for my benefit, for yours. I would very much enjoy watching you burn to a crisp." He pulled out a pair on bracelets, clapping one onto her left wrist. He then clapped his own bracelet on his wrist. Amy noticed her had many bracelets. "This will discharge a series of volts that will electrocute you if you leave the perimeter of this building. So you might want to be careful."

"Go to hell." Amy bit. Carver grinned at her.

"I already am, sweetie."

* * *

Rory watched the Doctor pace around the room angrily. He took in the leather jacket and gruff northern accent. He hadn't really encountered this Doctor as he did his succeeding one. The two other people, Caleb and Sonya, were huddled over Rose, whispering heatedly and flashing some sort of scanner over her every once in a while. Future Jack had told him that the trees absorbed life force. Rory winced.

Sentient trees. That sounded far too familiar to the time when trees grew overnight in 2016.

"I didn't recharge your weapon just so you could go around threatening us." The Doctor spat in Jack's face, snapping Rory back to the present. The Time Agent shrunk under his glare and Rory smiled wistfully. He looked so young.

"Doctor, you need to see this!" Caleb called out. Rory watched as the Doctor grudgingly turned away from the unnerved Jack and stalked over to the unconscious Rose. Rory stood there awkwardly for a few minutes, unsure of what to do with himself.

"Who are you anyway?" Jack asked him. Rory turned around to find the man eyeing him suspiciously. Rory was enjoying Jack being clueless far more than he should.

"No one of importance." He shrugged.

"I doubt that." Jack said suspiciously. "You're not with us and you're clearly not with them. They didn't shoot you on sight so you're not a member of their lunatic parade."

"Great detective skills!" Rory applauded. Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Are you a Time Agent?" He asked. Rory raised an eyebrow.

"Why would I be a Time Agent?" Rory asked. He had no idea the Time Agency had frightened Jack so much. To see he casual and nonchalant man from the future reduced to a scared little boy before his eyes almost frightened him.

Rory was suddenly thrown off his feet by a strong tremor. He quickly picked himself up and looked around. It looked like he wasn't the only one who had been affected by the random quake.

"What was that?" The Doctor asked as he picked himself up.

"Guys!" An unfamiliar voice cried out. Rory turned around and almost jumped out of his skin when a girl jumped right in front of him. She had a grave expression on her face. "He's done it again."

"Done what?" Rory asked cautiously.

* * *

The shaking caught Amy off guard. Luckily, she was still sitting on the ground and didn't stumble like Carver did.

"What the hell is that?" She demanded. The man flashed her a psychotic grin.

"You didn't think I managed to keep all these people prisoners in just a temple, did you?" He chuckled. "Perception filter, remember? Except mine has a few... _improvements."_

Amy really wanted to kill the man.

* * *

Clementine dropped the maps she was holding when she felt the rumble. She knew she would be punished by Carver later when he found out but she couldn't help it. Her eyes widened when she realised what the tremors meant. He was changing the layout of the ship again.

She was doomed.

* * *

Rosa leapt from tree to tree, trying her best not to touch the bark with her bare hands. Even though her body was immune to the parasitic tress thanks to Carver's paranoia, Rosa kept the habit. It helped remind her that she was still human, despite being isolated, and a kickass ninja on top of that.

Her thoughts drifted towards the three strangers they had found. There was something...strange about them. One of them looked like a spitting image of Clementine, one was clearly flirting with her brother and the other just stared at them impassively. Rosa's mind only came to one conclusion.

They were utter weirdos.

A sudden rumbling almost sent Rosa flying off the tree but she managed to catch herself. She looked down at the ground in shock. It was physically shaking. Looking further in the distance, her mouth went dry when she saw the scene.

Carver had changed the layout of the ship again. Instead of a temple, it was a _castle._ An actual, old castle like the one in fairy tales, electrical moat and all. She shook her head. They were in way over their heads.

Turning around, she frantically leapt from tree to tree. It took her a few minutes but she eventually made it back to their makeshift home. She looked down and spotted an unfamiliar man pulling himself to his feet. She frowned. He seemed harmless enough...and Sonya didn't shoot him on sight so it must be okay.

"Guys!" She cried out, landing in front of the man, secretly enjoying the way he flinched back in surprise. "He's done it again."

"Done what?" The new man asked cautiously. Before she could answer him, Sonya was already groaning in frustration.

"No, no, no!" She yelled, raising her fist and punching the wall. Other than Caleb and the comatose Clementine lookalike (when did that happen?) Rosa was the only other person in the room to not flinch at Sonya's sudden burst of anger. "He can't do this now! The changeover doesn't happen for another month!"

"What's wrong?" The leather jacket man asked. Sonya turned to face him, her eyes blazing with anger and defeat.

"He's one step ahead of us _again,_ that's what!" Sonya yelled scornfully, looking like she was ready to deck the man. Caleb sensed the tension and immediately set about to diffuse it. He put and calming hand on Sonya's shoulder and quickly eased her out of the door to cool off. He turned back to the group and sighed resignedly.

"Every five months, Carver changes the layout of his ship using a specifically designed perception filter designed by Dorium Maldovar." Caleb explained. Rosa scowled at the mention of the fat old blue man. "It's only been four months. Something must have happened."

"How could a perception filter do that?" The strange new man asked. Rosa's eyes flickered towards him. He looked gorgeous and nice enough too. "I thought it wasn't capable of doing that."

"I don't know the specifics." Rosa saw Caleb shrug in her peripheral vision. She turned to face him again. "All I know is that he procured the mechanics from some scary looking client of his."

The man looked thoughtful but said nothing. Rosa frowned. There was something strange about him. A man who looked so young yet had eyes so old. It was the same as the leather jacket man, if possibly older. It intrigued her.

"It's set back our plans!" Rosa jumped when she heard Sonya roar. For some reason, she had decided to storm back inside. Clearly she was eavesdropping. "We were planning to raid the ship in a few week's time. This completely fucks everything up!"

"Well, with that mentality, I can't think why you're on the losing side." The leather jacket man drawled sarcastically. Sonya narrowed her eyes at him.

"Doctor, you don't understand what's happening." She ground out evenly.

"Truthfully, I think we should just get out of-" The weirdo who was flirting with her brother started to say.

"Shut up Jack." The Doctor spat venomously. "You're treading on thin ice here already, Captain. One wrong move and you'll regret it."

He said it with such strong conviction that Rosa didn't doubt him. Sonya being her usual argumentative self looked like she was ready to bite back. Rosa understood why the woman felt so strongly about the topic. Carver _was_ keeping her sister hostage.

"What can we do to help?" The Doctor asked abruptly. Rosa's eyes snapped towards him and she gaped.

"You'll help?" She squeaked. The man looked at her like she was insane.

"Of course I'll help!" He scoffed. "Why wouldn't I?"

"We're strangers! Why would you possibly help us?" Sonya accused.

"You're right, you are." He rolled his eyes. "But this 'Carver' has my friend Amy and that man over there is her husband." He pointed at the new man who eyes widened until they resembled saucers. "And Rose would never forgive me if we left her, so _yes_ , we're staying."

Flirty Jack looked ready to protest, but the Doctor glared him down until he snapped his mouth shut and slunk back into the place they usually kept their hostages. Rosa noted that. He was probably surrounded by the electric barrier, which explained why nobody was standing near him.

"Are you sure?" Caleb asked cautiously. Rosa rolled her eyes. He was far too cautious for his own good. The man had just listed every possible reason why he should stay. "It's going to take a few weeks to plan a new route."

"Bad idea," the husband whistled. "He couldn't manage four days!" He chuckled. Rosa narrowed her eyes at him. He seemed oddly at peace for someone whose wife was currently being hostage and quite possibly tortured. The Doctor seemed to have come to the same conclusion, though he only showed it briefly before moving onto the task at hand.

"We can half that time if I can get a schematic of the ship and the layout of the forest." He said, his voice curt and crisp like a military officer.

"We can't go in there without salvaging some more weapons." Sonya said and all eyes turned to her. She didn't look put off. "Like we said, Carver has his own miniature army at his disposal lingering under the threat of death. This forest is littered with weaponry. We have no idea why considering the trees and their little glittering fireflies absorb human life force."

"How come you're not affected?" The Doctor asked suspiciously.

"As soon as we landed, Carver quarantined the ship and dosed us with some many vaccinations we're immune to it." Rosa explained. "It took him months to figure it out. We were bored out of our wits."

"But it worked." Caleb finished off.

The Doctor winced. "Can't you collect the weapons faster?"

"Doctor, this forest is a maze!" Caleb exclaimed. Rosa nodded. Even to this day, neither they nor Carver had fully mapped out the terrain. This shack was just beyond their scans, thankfully.

The Doctor fell silent and everybody else in the room soon followed, looking at him expectantly. Rosa had no idea why but the man felt like a leader. Finally, he nodded and looked at them with a grave expression on his face.

"We have work to do."

* * *

 **A/N:** DEAR LORD, this chapter gave me so much grief. It was originally meant to be longer but I split it, partly so that you guys had at least something to read but also because there's a small time-skip between this chapter and the next two. I thought it would look weird that we had a time-skip in this chapter (especially since it's mainly just bond building and character development for everybody), the calm before the storm in essence. If that was a stupid choice, I'm sorry, but I always make stupid choices!

As for Rory, not much of him in this chapter seeing as it was truncated, but he is more prominent in the next two, promise; 3

As for Jack, how did he become the man he is in later chapters from this? He goes through a lot from this point onwards, I think he is the character who gets most development in this story only second to Amy.

Also, I'm planning on posting a prequel and side-fic to this story to flesh out the secondary characters, so you're welcome to check that out when it's posted if you'd like.

Almost forgot, I'm also looking for a new beta. My friend is too busy nowadays unfortunately.

See you guys soon!


	39. Soft Spoken Truths

_Soft spoken truths_

* * *

Amy had been trapped in the spaceship complex for approximately two weeks.

Two weeks.

She waited every agonisingly slow moment for the Doctor and Rose to swoop in to assist her but they never came. It took all of Amy's willpower not to break down and cry. They would come soon, she knew they would.

Carver forced her to work and Amy did it in an effort to keep herself busy. She had been given a tour of the ship during her first weeks and was forced to memorise the rooms where she would be working. There was the data room, where the collected data of the forest was stored, the mechanics room, where disused equipment was sprawled haphazardly across every possible surface and the archive, where maps and schematics were kept.

Carver had taunted and tortured her every step of the way, taking away almost all of her valuables. He let her keep a tube of lipstick and Melody's prayer leaf, which she clung to protectively.

She was still kept in that horrible prison room. She was there because she was an animal apparently. It made her uncomfortable how close that hit home.

One day, while Amy was collecting maps from the archive, the sound of whispered murmurs caught her attention. She strained her eyes and faintly made out the words _blue box_.

Dropping the maps instantaneously, something she would surely regret later, Amy charged down the hallway and peered through the mirror. The crew-members-turned-slaves whispered heatedly and Amy tried not to pay attention to how battered they looks. It made her feel guilty.

She focused her attention on the TARDIS and her heart soared. Just the sight of the blue box raised her spirits and the gentle lull that filled her head was certainly welcome. Amy knew that the Doctor and Rose were still on the planet and the means of an escape had just presented itself.

Except there was a problem.

There were times when the bigger on the inside interior of the TARDIS was a gift. This was not one those times. Carver could very well zap her if she so much as stepped in the same room as the box. She also wasn't sure if she could fly the TARDIS by herself. The Doctor had given her some lessons but she wasn't sure it was enough. On top of all that, Amy. didn't have the heart to leave all the prisoners alone.

She was trapped.

* * *

"I don't understand what we're doing here!" Rose complained as they continued their trek through the woods. Sonya barely glanced back at her.

"We're out here looking for more weapons to use." She explained again. Rosa groaned. She was exhausted. " _Focus,_ Rosa."

"Why are we suddenly rushing all this?" Rosa complained. "We usually take months to plan this out. So what, one man suddenly appears with his group of friends and we rush it at his will?"

"It's not just for him!" Sonya shot back, slashing a few roots in her way. "The Doctor can help us stop Carver once and for all. Don't you want that? We can finally be reunited with everybody again!"

Rosa stopped at that.

"And _you_ can finally be reunited with your sister." She smiled softly. Sonya stopped in her tracks immediately. Rosa frowned. "You don't think she's alive, do you?"

Sonya didn't respond. Rosa sighed and trotted up to her.

"Why?" She asked simply. Sonya started walking again, refusing to meet Rosa's burning gaze.

"I don't know anymore." Sonya admitted quietly after a moment of silence. Rosa risked a glance at her and her heart plummeted when she saw the defeated look on Sonya's face. The tough girl who she had grown to see as a sister looking so downtrodden was alienating.

"But _why_ would Carver try to kill her?" Rose tried. "It wouldn't make sense."

"To get at us?" Sonya shrugged, her eyes dark. "I dunno. It feels like Clementine's gone."

"So you want to stop Carver so people don't have to feel like you did." Rose deduced with a slight nod. She grinned softly and elbowed her gently. "That's sweet, you know?"

"Thanks." Sonya smiled and elbowed her back. "Now come on! Let's go find some weapons and finish this once and for all."

Rosa nodded and followed suit. She wasn't sure if she completely agreed with Sonya but shrugged it off for the time being.

* * *

Jack rocked back and forth in his cell anxiously. He had been trapped for two weeks now, only being allowed out for bathroom breaks under supervision, which wouldn't normally bother him but this wasn't under normal circumstances.

He was angry.

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Jack was supposed to be able to slip away easily and undetected- he always did. Now he was rotting away because of a persistent blonde who now lay in a coma on the table on the other end of the room.

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. He was a _con man._ He repeated the mantra over and over in his head, hoping to alleviate some of his fear and anger.

His head snapped up at the sound of footsteps. He half expected to see the Doctor and his stormy blue gaze and found soft emeralds twinkling softly at him. He averted his eyes quickly as the man sat down in front of his makeshift prison, crossing his legs and waiting patiently.

Silence filled the air for a couple of minutes. Jack half expected the man to leave. When he didn't, he sighed.

"You should've just let me pull the trigger." He said softly. The man smiled sadly and shook his head.

"You know I would never let you." The man- _Rory-_ responded. Jack looked at him strangely.

"You don't know me." Jack retaliated, his voice not carrying the heat and irritation he wanted to convey. He furrowed his eyebrows at that. Rory smiled at that.

"I _do_." Rory whispered.

"No you don't." Jack shook his head vehemently, hating how broken his voice sounded. He didn't want anyone to know just how scared he was feeling. The longer the man kept looking at him with those soft eyes, the more his angry dissipated and fear replaced it instead. "You don't."

Rory went quiet for a few seconds and Jack thought he would finally leave him alone.

"When I was seven years old living in a small Earth village called Leadworth," Rory began. "I was bullied. My mum died and that made me an easy target." Jack looked at the man, trying to convey how disinterested he was.

"I don't really care." Jack admitted. Rory chuckled.

"One day, I was on my way home. I decided to take the long way round for the first time- dad had his new girlfriend in and I _really_ didn't want to be anywhere near her. Anyway, it was a big mistake. I got cornered by bullies and they hurt me, tying my hands with skipping rope and shoving my face into the ground."

Jack didn't meant to snort but he did anyway. He tried to suppress his grin at Rory's chastised expression.

"If you're done?" He asked and Jack coughed before quickly nodding. "I didn't know what to do. No clue how to fight. Then, out of nowhere, there was this loud booming voice and a crazy ginger girl who sent the boys flying. It was the first time I met Amy." His eyes became distant with the fond memory. He redirected the fond gaze to him. "But it was also the first time we meet you- fleetingly."

Everything clicked into place for Jack and he shook his head slowly.

"That wasn't me." He said with a shrug of his shoulder.

"You saved me." Rory grinned and Jack felt uncomfortable under the loving gaze. "You were a hero."

"I wasn't." Jack croaked. "Stop saying that."

"It _was_ you." Rory continued. "Maybe it's in your future, but I know you'll be there."

" _Stop._ " Jack hissed. "I'm not that man. I'm not a hero. I'm a bloody con man! That's all I'll ever be."

Rory opened his mouth to respond when Caleb came bursting through the door, a look of utter glee on his face.

"Rory, you have _got_ to see this." The man said excitedly, flickering a disdainful glare towards Jack before running out again. Rory sighed and stood up, getting ready to leave.

"It was you Jack." He said again. Jack was starting to get irritated. "I know you're a hero deep down. It's time you stopped wallowing in your own self-depreciation and started showing them who you really are."

With that, the man left the room and left Jack by himself. He wrapped his arms around his legs and slammed his head back into the electric wall roughly. The electricity blocked out the emotional pain he felt for a little while.

He wasn't a hero. He was the furthest thing from it.

But with nobody else in the room, Jack wondered who he was trying to convince.

* * *

Sonya continued walking, trying her hardest to block out her hurt feelings. Rosa had prodded out emotions she didn't want resurfaced. She was so persistent. Just like her brother. She looked up at Rosa's trotting form and smiled. The girl had become like a little sister to her, just like Caleb had become a big brother. She didn't want to lose the two of them either.

Rosa stopped so suddenly that Sonya crashed right into her back.

"Ow!" She whined, rubbing her nose. "What was that for?"

Rosa didn't say anything, her mouth gaping and her eyes widened comically.

"I don't believe it." The girl whispered. Sonya followed her gaze and almost broke out laughing.

"Doesn't seem so impossible anymore." She grinned.

* * *

Rory stepped out of the building, his conversation with Jack still reeling in his mind. He had just wanted to divert the man's attention from the time agency- it looked like he just made it worse.

A loud caw distracted him from his thoughts. Confused, Rory looked up and gaped like an idiot.

Standing in front of him was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. It was a majestic looking eagle with brown fur and grey capped wings. It's forelegs protruded talons and the back two resembled paws. A long tail swished around its back. Its fur was wet from where Rory guessed was from the water. The Doctor was stroking the creature's head, looking positively delighted.

"What is it?" Rory asked dumbly. Luckily the Doctor was too distracted to notice, continuing to stroke the matted fur.

"This, Mr Williams, is a Gryphon." The Doctor breathed. Rory didn't even know why he was surprised they existed. "They're supposed to be extinct now. So this was what Rose-" he stopped and looked at the entrance forlornly. The Gryphon seemed to pick up on this and nudged him softly. The Doctor smiled sadly and went back to stroking it.

Beside him, Caleb was breathing very quietly, as if he was afraid he might disturb the Gryphon's tranquil state. Rory turned back to the Doctor and jumped to see the Time Lord looking straight at him.

"Would you like to stroke him?"

" _Him?"_

"I speak Gryphon." The Doctor shrugged casually.

Of course he did.

"You what?" Caleb asked in confusion. Rory ignored him, stepping cautiously towards the creature. It cawed and he quickly rescinded.

"Come on, don't be shy." The Doctor coaxed. Rory didn't know why he was so scared. He stepped towards the creature with shaking hands and stroked its fur nervously.

The Gryphon nudged his hair and Rory giggled, his fear quickly dissipating.

Grunting and panting caught Rory's attention and he peered over the Gryphon to see Sonya and Rosa staring at the creature in awe, a cache of weapons in each of their hands.

"That is bloody awesome." Rosa blurted out. Rory chuckled at the girl's impulsiveness. It reminded him of Amy. The Doctor however, was eyeing the weapons crate in their hands and grinned widely.

"It seems things are finally looking up."

* * *

Amy dumped the maps in the designated area before promptly walking off before Carver could catch her. She had a few more minutes before she would be dumped back in her makeshift prison.

She wandered down the hallway, begrudgingly admiring the tapestries that littered the wall. Just because she was being held captive didn't mean that she couldn't admire the artwork. That also meant she couldn't plot about burning them to the ground when she escaped.

 _If_ she escaped.

Amy shook herself from her thoughts and noticed the strange girl who had warned her to escape fumbling around with some parts for the mechanics room. Amy quickly lunged forward and grabbed an old lipstick tube that almost clattered to the ground.

She gasped as her head began to fill with memories that didn't belong to her. A life of loneliness and solitude. A life of running and sonic probes. The image was then replaced with the same crimson glow she saw in Downing Street.

"Sorry ma'am." The girl said quietly, eyeing her band warily. Amy raised her hands to placate the girl's nerves.

"It's fine." Amy replied calmly, raising her band to show that she was also a prisoner. "What's your name?"

The girl looked thrown. Amy didn't blame her. The residents didn't talk to each other much in fear of punishment.

"Clementine." The girl replied. Amy was about to say more but the girl already stalked off. She wasn't too bothered because she had just figured out a way to escape.

For a second time that day, Amy's heart soared.

* * *

Thanks to his superior Time Lord physiology, the Doctor didn't need as much sleep as humans did- which was why he was gently squeezing Rose's hand and watching over her as she rested.

He was assured by Caleb and Sonya that the medicine coursing through her veins would leave no lasting effects but he couldn't be sure until she was awake and he could run tests on her in the TARDIS.

His thoughts drifted to Amy and his heart clenched even more. He had no idea what was happening to her or whether she was still alive. Sometimes he wished she wasn't so energetic and independent.

He had to remind himself that it wasn't just her fault either. His eyes drifted towards the sleeping Jack and he clenched his jaw. He was still weighing his options of where to drop the con man off after they wrapped up on the planet.

The cawing of the Gryphon distracted him from his thoughts. The soft chuckling of a man- so soft for the human ears- caught his attention. Pressing one longing kiss on the back of Rose's hand, he got up and walked out of the shack.

All the humans around him were supposed to be asleep, so the Doctor was surprised to see Rory stroking the Gryphon's fur. It was strange to see the man in the moonlight with the majestic creature. It made him look like one of the mythical tamers on Gallifrey.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked as he approached the man. To his credit, Rory didn't even flinch.

"Not in the slightest." Rory admitted. The Doctor nodded and the two fell into a comfortable silence, the Gryphon nudging at them affectionately.

"So," Rory started, drawing a breath. "We're off to fight a malevolent tyrant with his own miniature army too afraid to fight back to save people with our own creature that should be extinct. Sounds a bit like Harry Potter, doesn't it?"

The Doctor looked at him strangely. " _Harry Potter?"_

Rory looked at him in surprise. "You've never read them?"

The Doctor shook his head. Rory made a strange sound and nodded.

"You should read them." The strange man advised. The Doctor snorted.

"If we make it out of this alive, I'll get right on it." His mood sobered and he looked at the man nervously. "She's been looking for you."

"I know."

"She's been worried about you."

"I know."

"To avoid sounding like a broken clock, tell me this- how the hell did you manage to find yourself on this planet?"

Rory smiled at him enigmatically. "Spoilers."

"Amy says that all the time." The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"Does she?" Rory grinned. The Doctor had the strange feeling that he already knew that. His grin faded and he started stroking the Gryphon's fur softly. "I miss her." He admitted.

"She's missed you too." The Doctor reassured. "We'll rescue her."

"The first time I met Amy, she saved me from a group of bullies." Rory stated with a soft smile. "Then, when we were at a bar one time with our friend Mels, we accidentally got into a brawl and she broke this guy's hand. Funny thing is she didn't even realised she did it until he started screaming. I never saw her fight like that before." Rory turned to him. He looked like he wanted to say more but couldn't. "Bottom line, Doctor, Amy can take care of herself and I have no doubt she's looking for a way to escape."

"You have a lot of faith in her." The Doctor noted.

"You clearly don't know my wife." Rory shrugged nonchalantly. "Which is _really_ ironic."

"Ironic how?"

"Spoilers."

"I hate that word." The Doctor scowled.

"I know." Rory grinned. "She's endured so much. So much more than anyone should ever endure. Admittedly, so have I and for a longer period of time too. But she was trapped somewhere once. Alone, confined, no hope with only herself to make sure she survived every single day. Me? I had the world. _That's_ what sets us apart. My wife is strong."

"She let an angel touch her for you." The Doctor reminded him.

"Yes, she did."

"Spur of the moment, leaving behind all she's ever known- friends, family, me- hell, even the bloody internet just for you!"

"And I love her even more for that." Rory's face turned blissful. "I'm more worried about the other prisoners."

"Didn't need to convince me." The Doctor shrugged.

"I doubt that." Rory said and the Doctor caught a glint of something in his impossibly ancient eyes. A warning of everlasting pain if he ever hurt Amy Williams. It was a look he didn't take lightly.

"By the way," The Doctor said, steering the conversation away with a light smirk. "Nice nose."

Rory smirked back.

"You too."

* * *

 **A/N:** This chapter gave me so much grief. The worst part is that it's a filler the chapter, so the next one is going to be an even bigger pain to write DX I'm hoping to finish this story by the end of March because exams are approaching like wildfire. I've finished the epilogue and _Bad Wolf (_ both short chapters) and have the final installment of _The Great Escape, Boom Town_ and _The Parting of the Ways_ to write.

Here's hoping I can do it!

Until next time!


	40. A Note of Absence

Hi guys! Just a quick note to let you know that I haven't given up on the series. I need you guys to be patient with me as I go through my final exams, I really want to do good on them. The series will resume as soon as I've finished. Other things to note:

-The sequel to Alone in Uncharted Territory will begin with A Christmas Invasion on December 1st, 2016.

-I am removing the Dark Forest arc from Alone in Uncharted Territory and posting it as its own story.

-A Sarah Jane Adventures fanfiction set in the Alone No More universe is currently in the making.

-I plan to continue sometime past June.

Don't review on this. It'll be taken down when I'm posting again.


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